HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Been hoping to start an E colony in the spring and have been researching conditions, habitats and most importantly shells. Two good science-based resources came up: Abrams, Peter. "Shell Selection and Utilization in a Terrestrial Hermit Crab, Coenobita Compressus (H. Milne Edwards)." Oecologia 34.2 (1978): 239-53. and Ball, E. E. 1972. Observations on the biology of the hermit crab, Coenobita compressus H. Milne Edwards (Decapoda; Anomura) on the west coast of the Americans. Revista de Biologica Tropical 20:265.
Using these sources and the internet I believe I have come up with a good list of shells. The list contains the shell name, country of origin in parentheses and location where crabs used the shell if known.
Achatina spp. (Japanese land snail): (African in origin) internet source.

Babylonia areolata- Areola/spotted Babylon (SE Asia; Philippines; Formosa; China) internet source.

Babylonia japonica- Japanese Babylon (Korea; Japan; Taiwan) internet source.

Babylonia spirata-spiral Babylon (Pakistan - Sri Lanka – Taiwan) internet source.

Babylonia zeylanica-brown blotched (SE India) internet source.

Cantharus melanostomus (Indian Ocean – Philippines) Internet source.

Cryptonartica affinis (accepted name. Cryptonatica affinis) - Arctic moonshell Circum-Arctic - Mediterranean; - California, USA; - N Carolina, USA; - Japan) Internet source.

Echinolittorina peruviana-periwinkle (Ecuador - Chile; Galápagos) this shell name came up when researching Littoraria zebra, looks promising.

Euspira lewisii (accepted name. Neverita lewisii)-Lewis’s moon snail (Vancouver Island, Canada - N Baja California, Mexico) Internet source.

Leucozonia cerata- waxy latirus (S Sea of Cortèz, W Mexico - Panama; Galápagos) the Naos Island Laboratories, located next to Panama City, laboratory research.

Littoraria zebra ( Littorina zebra not correct) - zebra periwinkle (Pacific Costa Rica – Colombia) the Naos Island Laboratories, located next to Panama City, laboratory research; Bahia Solano, Columbia.

Melongena melongena- West Indian conch (NE Mexico - Colombia - Surinam; Antilles; Mid-Atlantic Ridge) internet source.

Nassarius dorsatus- channeled nassa (W Pacific): internet source.

Natica chemnitzii (Panama, Ecuador, probably scattered throughout the Pacific); came up when researching shells in area of C. compressus.

Natica lineata (accepted name. Tanea lineata) (N Indian Ocean - Japan & W Australia) internet source.

Natica stellate- stellate sand snail (Australia; Indo-W Pacific) Internet source.

Nerita funiculata (Baja California, Mexico - N Peru; Galápagos) the Naos Island Laboratories, located next to Panama City, laboratory research; Bahia Tenacatita Jalisco, Mexico.

Nerita scabricosta- Ornate nerite (Baja California, Mexico - Peru; Galápagos) the Naos Island Laboratories, located next to Panama City, laboratory research; Straights between Islas Gorgona and Gorgonilla, Columbia; Bahia Solano, Columbia; ; Isle Montuosa, Panama; Area of Islas Negritos and Cedros, Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica; Bahia Tenacatita Jalisco, Mexico.

Neverita didyma-ball moon shell (SE Africa - W Pacific) internet source.

Phasianella australis- Australian pheasant, painted lady, and pheasant snail (W - SE Australia; Tasmania)
Internet source.

Plicopurpura patula –widemouth rockshell (SE Florida, USA; West Indies; Mid-Atlantic Ridge) Straights between Islas Gorgona and Gorgonilla, Columbia: Bahia Solano, Columbia; Bahia Tenacatita Jalisco, Mexico; the Naos Island Laboratories, located next to Panama City, laboratory research

Polinices duplicatus (accepted name Neverita duplicate) - shark’s eye (Massachusetts, USA - Yucatán, Mexico; Bahamas) Salinas and vicinity, Ecuador (small percentage usage).

Solenosteira fusiformis (Panama – Peru) the Naos Island Laboratories, located next to Panama City, laboratory research

Thais haemostoma (accepted name. Stramonita biseriatus) - rock shell Baja California, Mexico- Chile, Galapagos) Salinas and vicinity, Ecuador; Punta Galera, Ecuador; Bahia Tenacatita Jalisco, Mexico.

Thais melones (accepted name. Vasula melones) - gourd rock shell (Pacific Mexico - Peru; Galápagos) Salinas and vicinity, Ecuador; Punta Galera, Ecuador; Straights between Islas Gorgona and Gorgonilla, Columbia; Bahia Solano, Columbia; ; Isle Montuosa, Panama; Area of Islas Negritos and Cedros, Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica.

Thais mutabilis (accepted name. Indothais lacera)-carinate rock shell (Durban Bay, Rep. South Africa - Red Sea - S E Asia; E Mediterranean?) Internet source.

Thais orbita (accepted name. Dicathais orbita) - cart-rut whelk (W - SE Australia; N New Zealand?) Internet source.

Thais speciosus (accepted name. Vasula speciosus) - rock shell (Baja California, Mexico - Peru; Galápagos) Area of Islas Negritos and Cedros, Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica; Bahia Tenacatita Jalisco, Mexico.

Turbo fluctuosus- Mexican turbo shell (Baja California, Mexico-Peru, Galapagos) Salinas and vicinity, Ecuador.

Turbo saxosus-stony turbo (Panama- Peru) Salinas and vicinity, Ecuador; Punta Galera, Ecuador; Straights between Islas Gorgona and Gorgonilla, Columbia; Bahia Solano, Columbia; Isle Montuosa, Panama; Area of Islas Negritos and Cedros, Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica; Bahia Tenacatita Jalisco, Mexico.

Hey, cool - I didn't have the Abrams one in my Anomura Endnote, so now I can add it!

Thanks!

LJJ

I've updated the taxonomy of the shells listed previously:
Achatina spp. (Japanese land snail): (African in origin) internet source.
Babylonia areolata- Areola/spotted Babylon (SE Asia; Philippines; Formosa; China) internet source.
Babylonia japonica- Japanese Babylon (Korea; Japan; Taiwan) internet source.
Babylonia spirata-spiral Babylon (Pakistan - Sri Lanka – Taiwan) internet source.
Babylonia zeylanica-brown blotched (SE India) internet source.
Cantharus melanostoma (Indian Ocean – Philippines) Internet source.
Cryptonatica affinis - Arctic moonshell Circum-Arctic - Mediterranean; - California, USA; - N Carolina, USA; - Japan) Internet source.
Dicathais orbita - cart-rut whelk (W - SE Australia; N New Zealand?) Internet source.
Echinolittorina peruviana-periwinkle (Ecuador - Chile; Galápagos) this shell name came up when researching Littoraria zebra, looks promising.
Indothais lacera-carinate rock shell (Durban Bay, Rep. South Africa - Red Sea - S E Asia; E Mediterranean?) Internet source.
Internet source.
Leucozonia cerata- waxy latirus (S Sea of Cortèz, W Mexico - Panama; Galápagos) the Naos Island Laboratories, located next to Panama City, laboratory research.
Littoraria zebra (Littorina zebra not correct) - zebra periwinkle (Pacific Costa Rica – Colombia) the Naos Island Laboratories, located next to Panama City, laboratory research; Bahia Solano, Columbia.
Melongena melongena- West Indian conch (NE Mexico - Colombia - Surinam; Antilles; Mid-Atlantic Ridge) internet source.
Nassarius dorsatus- channeled nassa (W Pacific): internet source.
Natica stellata- stellate sand snail (Australia; Indo-W Pacific) Internet source.
Nerita funiculata (Baja California, Mexico - N Peru; Galápagos) the Naos Island Laboratories, located next to Panama City, laboratory research; Bahia Tenacatita Jalisco, Mexico.
Nerita scabricosta- Ornate nerite (Baja California, Mexico - Peru; Galápagos) the Naos Island Laboratories, located next to Panama City, laboratory research; Straights between Islas Gorgona and Gorgonilla, Columbia; Bahia Solano, Columbia; ; Isle Montuosa, Panama; Area of Islas Negritos and Cedros, Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica; Bahia Tenacatita Jalisco, Mexico.
Neverita didyma-ball moon shell (SE Africa - W Pacific) internet source.
Neverita duplicata - shark’s eye (Massachusetts, USA - Yucatán, Mexico; Bahamas) Salinas and vicinity, Ecuador (small percentage usage).
Neverita lewisii-Lewis’s moon snail (Vancouver Island, Canada - N Baja California, Mexico) Internet source.
Notocochlis chemnitzii (Panama, Ecuador, probably scattered throughout the Pacific); came up when researching shells in area of C. compressus.
Phasianella australis- Australian pheasant, painted lady, and pheasant snail (W - SE Australia; Tasmania)
Plicopurpura patula –widemouth rockshell (SE Florida, USA; West Indies; Mid-Atlantic Ridge) Straights between Islas Gorgona and Gorgonilla, Columbia: Bahia Solano, Columbia; Bahia Tenacatita Jalisco, Mexico; the Naos Island Laboratories, located next to Panama City, laboratory research
Solenosteira fusiformis (Panama – Peru) the Naos Island Laboratories, located next to Panama City, laboratory research
Stramonita biseriatus - rock shell Baja California, Mexico- Chile, Galapagos) Salinas and vicinity, Ecuador; Punta Galera, Ecuador; Bahia Tenacatita Jalisco, Mexico.
Tanea lineata (N Indian Ocean - Japan & W Australia) internet source.
Turbo (Callopoma) fluctuosus- Mexican turbo shell (Baja California, Mexico-Peru, Galapagos) Salinas and vicinity, Ecuador.
Turbo (Callopoma) saxosus-stony turbo (Panama- Peru) Salinas and vicinity, Ecuador; Punta Galera, Ecuador; Straights between Islas Gorgona and Gorgonilla, Columbia; Bahia Solano, Columbia; Isle Montuosa, Panama; Area of Islas Negritos and Cedros, Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica; Bahia Tenacatita Jalisco, Mexico.
Vasula melones - gourd rock shell (Pacific Mexico - Peru; Galápagos) Salinas and vicinity, Ecuador; Punta Galera, Ecuador; Straights between Islas Gorgona and Gorgonilla, Columbia; Bahia Solano, Columbia; ; Isle Montuosa, Panama; Area of Islas Negritos and Cedros, Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica.
Vasula speciosa - rock shell (Baja California, Mexico - Peru; Galápagos) Area of Islas Negritos and Cedros, Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica; Bahia Tenacatita Jalisco, Mexico.

Hello!
I am having difficulty locating shells for my Ecuadorians. Any suggestions for sources? Any help is greatly appreciated!
Thank you!

Nerite shells only become wearable thanks to the effort of smaller crabs who do the work of modifying the opening to widen it, and gutting the interior to make more space. Natural nerite shells as they grow are unusable.

In captivity, mine preferred Turbo fluctuosus, Turbo reevei, Natica stellata, Babylonia zeylanica/japonica and aereolata, and thin tonna and tun shells. I had one that took a Achatina fulica for a bit. They also liked the native Moon shells that Alaska Hermit used to collect and sell from up there but I've never seen them anywhere else.