Category: Biology | The Crab Street Journal

Humane euthanasia for hermit crabs

Tagged: dying, Euthanasia, hermit crab, humane, ill, sick

There may come a time when you find it necessary to euthanize your hermit crab to end it’s suffering. I’m providing the information that I found to be reliable. Please ensure that you are not confusing a surface molt with death. https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_is_the_least_drastic_method_to_kill_decapod_crustaceans_for_subsequent_preservation http://kb.rspca.org.au/What-is-the-most-humane-way-to-kill-crustaceans-for-human-consumption_625.htmlRead More →

Coenobita respiration

In: Biology

Tagged: air, breathing, crabitat, gills, hermit crab, humidity, lungs, respiration

A hermit crab’s gills are enclosed in the branchial chamber, which functions as a lung. The branchial chamber is on the sides of the thorax, above the crab’s legs. A hermit crab breathes through its gills and branchial chamber, which must be kept moist in order to function. If the branchial chamber and gills dry out, the crab will die. Compared to aquatic crabs, land hermit crab’s gills are reduced in size, and if the adults are kept underwater too long, they will drown. [2] There are tufts of setae at various sites on the ventral surface that enable moisture from the substrate to beRead More →

Hermit crab grooming

In: Biology

Tagged: antennae, bubbling, cleaning, foaming, grabbing, grooming, legs, maxillipedes, mouth, pereiopods, shell, water, wiping

In hermit crabs, the fourth and particularly the fifth pereopods are reduced, usually remaining within the confines of the gastropod shell and hence are not used for walking. These appendages do however becoming important when the hermit crab attempts to right itself, providing anchorage within the shell. Further, the fifth pereopod has become specialised as a gill cleaning appendage, often resting within the gill chamber (Bauer 1981). On the abdomen only the left pleopods are retained (Poore 2004).[1] Hermit crabs used specialized setae on the third maixillipedes and fifth pereiopods for most grooming but used the unmodified first, second, and third pereiopods as well. MostRead More →

Coenobita Gonopore

In: Biology

Tagged: anatomy, body, body parts, coenobita, female, gender, gonopore, hermit crab, hermit crab care, male, openings, reproduction, sex organ, tubes

Gonpores are the openings of reproductive system to exterior. In male, pore on basal segment (coxa) of last (eighth) thoracopods; in female, pore on coxa of sixth thoracopods (third pereopods) [1] Coenobita rugosus has been found to be intersexual 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 Stachowitsch, 1992Read More →

Coenobita Shield

In: Biology

Tagged: anatomy, back, body, carapace, cephalic, coenobita, hermit crab, hermit crab care, shield

The Cephalic shield [1] or carapace is part of the exoskeleton that covers the cephalothorax. It functions as a protective cover, hence the common name ‘shield’. 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) Photo credits: HUSO Chen Yu-Jung Stacy Griffith References: Dardanus megistos by Storm Martin 2012Read More →

Coenobita Antennae

In: Biology

Tagged: antennae, coenobita, feelers, hermit crab, hermit crab care

Land hermit crabs have two pairs of antennae. The antennae are vital sensory organs that allow Coenobita to locate the ocean, their food and to explore their surroundings. Coenobita rely on humidity in the air to aid them in smelling and locating various odors. In Coenobita Violascens the antennal acicle is fused with second peduncular segment. To capture odors, crustaceans move their antennules back and forth through the water in a motion called flicking. 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: crabstreetjournalRead More →

Coenobita chela and cheliped

In: Biology

Tagged: anatomy, body, body parts, chela, cheliped, claw, coenobita, hermit crab, hermit crab care, pincer

Chela (organ) A chela /kˈiːlə/, also named claw, nipper or pincer, is a pincer-like organ terminating certain limbs of some arthropods.[1] The name comes from Greek (χηλή) through New Latin (chela). The plural form is chelae.[2] Legs bearing a chela are called chelipeds.[3] Another name is claw because most chelae are curved and have a sharp point like a claw. Also called pincer or pincher. 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 ofRead More →

Coenobita eyes

In: Biology

Tagged: anatomy, body, body parts, coenobita, eye stalk, eyes, hermit crab, hermit crab care

Coenobita possess compound eyes comprised of faceted lenses which are especially adept at picking up fine movements. The eyes are located on movable stalks and this is one of the primary ways we determine the species of hermit crab we are looking at. 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) Photo Credits: The Crab Street Journal has been granted permission by these photographers to useRead More →

Coenobita Gills

In: Biology

Tagged: abdomen, abdominal lung, anatomy, body, body parts, breathing, coenobita, gills, hermit crab, hermit crab care

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 complexRead More →

Coenobita molt sac

In: Biology

Tagged: anatomy, body, body parts, coenobita, growth, hermit crab, hermit crab care, molt, sac, water

The land hermit crab (Coenobita) develops a water sac inside of their shell prior to a molt. As shedding of the old exoskeleton begins, this store of water is used to expand the body to stretch and increase size before the soft exoskeleton begins to harden again 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)Read More →