Skip to content

Contact Us

crabstreetjournal@gmail.com

The Crab Street Journal
The Crab Street Journal

Good friends in a pinch!

Primary Navigation Menu
Menu
  • Community
    • Blog Posts
      • General
      • ArtWork
      • Ask Milo
      • Caresheets
      • Crabitat
      • Contest Voting
      • FAQ
      • Noteworthy Crabbers
    • Calendar of Events
    • Chewin’ the Choya (Forums)
      • Contest Entry Forum
    • Contest Rules
      • Calendar Crab
      • Crabitat of the Month
      • Hermit Crab Pumpkin Carving Contest
    • CSJ on Social Media
      • Crab Street Journal Instagram Feed
    • Testimonials
  • Resources
    • The Newbies Guide to Hermit Crabs
    • Hermit Crab Emergency Help
    • Adoptions
    • Market (Food Shop)
    • Become an Approved Seller
    • Teacher’s Pet/Claws in the Classroom
    • Advocacy and Outreach
      • Animal Cruelty Laws
      • Pet Store Report Form
      • Pet Store Reports
      • Say NO to Painted Shells
    • Caresheets
      • Crabitat
      • FAQ
      • Food and Nutrition
        • Market (food shop)
        • Recipe Book for Hermit Crabs
          • Hermit Crab Recipe Submission Form
      • Biology
        • Hermit Crab Species
      • PDF Library
    • Shopping Directory
    • Activity Pages
      • Coloring Pages
      • Word Find
      • Mazes
    • There’s a map for that!
      • CSJ/LHCOS Approved Adopters Maps
      • Local Reps Map
      • Hermit Crab Species Map
    • Product Reviews
      • Product Review Submission Form
    • Back issues of our print magazine
    • Media Kit
  • About us
  • Support CSJ!
    • Amazon Promotions
    • Hermit Crab Clothing and Goodies
    • Purchase a Hermit Crab species poster
    • Donate-Paypal

Coenobita Gills

The gills of Coenobita and Birgus are modified for air-breathing but are reduced in number and size and have a comparatively small surface area. The branchiostegal lungs of Coenobita (which live in gastropod shells) are very small but are well vascularized and have a thin blood/gas barrier. Coenobita has developed a third respiratory organ, the abdominal lung, that is formed from highly vascularized patches of very thin and intensely-folded dorsal integument. Oxygenated blood from this respiratory surface is returned to the pericardial sinus via the gills (in parallel to the branchiostegal circulation). Birgus, which does not inhabit a gastropod shell, has developed a highly complex branchiostegal lung that is expanded laterally and evaginated to increase surface area. The blood/gas diffusion distance is short and oxygenated blood is returned directly to the pericardium via pulmonary veins. We conclude that the presence of a protective mollusc shell in the terrestrial hermit crabs has favoured the evolution of an abdominal lung and in its absence a branchiostegal lung has been developed. [1]

Clypeatus gills by Stacy Griffith
Clypeatus gills by Stacy Griffith
Coenobita gills
Coenobita gills
Coenobita gills
Coenobita gills
Coenobita gills
Coenobita gills
Coenobita gills
Coenobita gills
Coenobita gills
Coenobita gills
Cavipes gills
Cavipes gills

We are building image galleries of specific body parts. If you have high resolution, clear photos that you would like to donate to this project please contact us via email: crabstreetjournal at gmail dot com


Overview of the anatomy of a land hermit crab (Coenobita)

References:
1 The morphology and vasculature of the respiratory organs of terrestrial hermit crabs (Coenobita and Birgus): gills, branchiostegal lungs and abdominal lungs
C.A. Farrellya, P. Greenawayb, ,
a 32 Tramway Pde. Beaumaris, Vic. 3193, Australia
b School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, N.S.W. 2052, Australia

Share this:

  • Email
  • Print
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • Facebook
  • Tumblr
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

2015-03-15
In: Biology
Tagged: abdomen, abdominal lung, anatomy, body, body parts, breathing, coenobita, gills, hermit crab, hermit crab care
Previous Post: Coenobita molt sac
Next Post: Coenobita eyes

Enter One of our Monthly Contests

You must be LOGGED in for this to work!

Enter Now
Log In

Or Login with your social media account:

Facebook Google Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Amazon Windowslive
logo


Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Recent Posts

  • 2019 November Voting Polls
  • A Holiday Feast for Hermit Crabs
  • Get Pre-Approved to Adopt Captive Bred Hermit Crab Babies
  • Come see us in Janesville Wisconsin!
  • LHCOS Welcomes Two New Local Representatives

Our other websites

Land Hermit Crab Owners Society (our parent org)
Land Hermit Crab Species
Stacy's hermit crab blog

Proud Member

The Crustacean Society
The Crustacean Society

The Crab Street Journal © 2001-2019

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
%d bloggers like this: