HCA: Hermit Crab Association

mars returned from a weekend vacation at Bintang Island (one of many coral islets scattered in Jakarta Bay). Surprisingly, she brought some cavipes or rugosus-like hermies that wear left-handed Amphidromus snail shell.





I adopted seven of them. Here are their stunning characteristics:

1. Black walking legs, with leg-segment proportions that are similar to cavs' legs.

2. Black or dark brown tones on the carapace, with bluish tingeing.



3. No stridulation ridge on the pincers.


4. Small eyestalks, like those of ruggies, and relatively-round eyes (like those of indos or Caribbeans).


5. Occasional bigger right pincer compared to the left one, or same-size pincers.


The following pictures shows how they seal the shell openning:



Could these be specimens of a new species ? I remember that more than 10 years ago, I got one similar crab from a local vendor. Once I read about Coenobita longitarsis that was said living in the Dutch Indies (former name of the Republic of Indonesia), but there has not been any further reference or record about such species.

Could anybody (who knows few Latin words) in this forum tell me what "longitarsis" means ?

Or may these crabs be just a variety of C.cavipes ? May long-term habit of using left-handed shell and long-term isolation make the right pincer grow bigger than usual ?

Very cool!

I dont know what sp. it is. At first I thought ruggie b/c of the striping pattern on his "back" and b/c of the way his eyes look. But you said no stitch marks, so I dont think that is it. Then I think cavipe.

I dont know if this will help, but it will at least give us some locations to single out. (Biology of the Land Crabs, Warren W. Burggren, Brian R. McMahon)
C. cavipes: a widely distributed species from the mainland of East Africa to the East Indies and the Ryu Kyu Islands

C. clypeatus: From southern Florida to Venezuela, and the West Indian islands. This is the only species in the western altantic. (I dont think its a pp)

C. compressus: West coast of America from Mexico/lower California, to Chile. Only species definitely known from American West Coast and restricted to this coast. (I dont think its an E)

C. perlatus: From Aldabra, Mauritus, and Seychelles thru the Indo Pacific to Samoa (I dont think its a straw)

C. rugosus: From the mainland coast of East Africa thru the Indo-Pacific to Tahiti and the Tuamotu Islands.

C. brevimanus: From Zanzibar to Tahiti and the Taumotu Islands, but not known from the East African mainland.

C. longitarsis: gives the distribution as East Indies, but there seem to be no subsequent records

C. spinosa: Various Polynesian islands and the northern coast of Australia

Kerie and I had 1 each that we couldn't quite ID. SHe sent pics to someone she knew, and confirmed it was a Cavipe. Kerie thought it was a diferent type of Rug, can't remember what she called it now....
Beautiful crbas though

They're cavipes. I have some just like that.

I won't even try to identify (leaning towards Cav's though). But beautiful and unique as ever. You always have amazing pics to share with us.

I was thinking cavs too because of the deep red feelers.

Ummm, y'all, look at the last 2 pics, their BP is opposite to all the species we have, take out one of your hermit crabs hold it to the screen and tell me that's not backwards. I say it's a new species. Also not the eyes are definately not () the look indoish to me. However, i can/very well could be wrong, but anyone care to back me up?

I have no idea but I do know there are 14 or 15 species of Coenobita.

Look, here's my cav:



Yours are cavipes. No doubt about it.

Hi
According to my opinion, the eyes of Julia_Crab’s C. cavipes are different than the question crabs. The eyes of the question crabs are relatively more rounded and even smaller than the eyes of C. rugosus (same size crab) and my other C.cavipes.


The C. cavipes I found there (also left-handed) relatively has bigger and more oval eye shape, like this,

Wah!!! Indah! :D:D

They are so stunning! your crabs ALWAYS amaze me how beutiful they are!

If you ever come to Australia you can sneak me some I would so pay you...

I think they look a lot like Cavs....but I have never seen a Cav that wore a left-handed shell. I honestly think it may be a new species....maybe similar to Cavs...but I don't think it is a Cav. They are beautiful whatever they are!

Originally I had some guesses, but my guesses aren't as good as you guys' I agree with Homie. The pinchers have me totally stumped.

interesting!

Even if it is a cav is has to be a sub species because the claw they you are seeing in that picture is its food claw, not BP. So maybe like Coenbita Cavipe Julia???? lol