HCA: Hermit Crab Association

We tried this as a contest a few months ago, but the response was less than enthusiastic. Come on crab owners! Share your photos!!!

This is the current species identification chart that we have to share with members who are looking to find out what species their crab is:

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/pages/species.jpg

As you can see, the information is outdated (cavipes are no more, they are actually violas), species are just plain missing (blueberries and aussies), and there have been some advances in cameras since then.

So, what the HCA is hoping, is that it's wonderfully kind members will share their best ID photos of their crabs!

(Plus, this is going to be an excellently awesome photo thread. )

The "rules":

• * All photos must be clear, and have to be larger than 800x600. (Full-sized photos would be ideal!)
  
  * Photos must be owned by you!
  
  * Your photo will be credited to your username if it is chosen. If you would like it credited to your actual name let us know, but it will be published for the public to see.
  
  * By posting a photo in this thread you agree to let the HCA use it for the purposes of creating a species ID comparison page, and for species identification on caresheets. If we want to use it for something else, we must get your permission first. The HCA may crop, re-size and adjust color/brightness as needed to create an easy to use ID guide.
  
  * You must have the actual file (edited or original) to e-mail in for use - photos will not be copied from photo sharing websites.
  
  * If your photo is chosen we'll contact you by PM with more information and the e-mail address to use to submit the photo.
  
  * You may post as many photographs of a specific species as you would like, as many times as you would like, until the species you are submitting for has been declared finished. See the following post for what species we are still taking submissions for. (Since obviously we'll have an easier and faster time finding great photos for PPs and Es than we will for more rarely kept species like Blueberries and Indos. )
  
  * ANYONE can enter - Members, Mods, Admins, New Crab Owners - anyone!!
  
  * Photos to be used will be chosen by the Mods and Admins, based solely on how well the photos are able to identify a specific species. This is not a popularity contest, and we won't be paying attention to who submitted what. (We tried the anonymous route, but no one was interested.) We are just looking for the best photos out there to help others understand more about their hermit crab!

So what are we looking for? Photographs like the ones above, plus differences in colors. We need multiple photos of each of the following:

• * Eyes and eyestalks from all angles to show the unique shapes of the different species
  
  * The Big Pincher when closed into a shell
  
  * Front views of the entire crab
  
  * Side views of the entire crab from both the left and the right
  
  * Any photograph that shows the range of colors that they come in - common, rare, and due to age.

How to submit a photo:

• * It needs a name, so we can communicate which photo it is that was chosen. This can be an actual name "Spike on the Cholla", a description "Indo - Eyes", or a number "1". Photo names can be reused by other people, but make sure none of your own have the same name or it'll get confusing.
  
  * It needs to have the master size listed. ie, 800x600, 1200x 800, "full-sized", etc.
  
  * It needs to have the species named.
  
  * You are welcome to give the crab's name! It will be included along with the credit to your username. (ie. "Moya" by wodesorel)
  
  * Please see the following post for an example of the submission format, since I hope we have a ton of photos posted and we want this thread to be easy to navigate!

Please help us create a wonderful new species ID guide!

Submission style:


Filbert
Purple Pincher
Full-sized




Species we still need photos for!

* Purple Pincher (clypeatus)
* Ecuadorian (compressus)
* Indo (brevimanus)
* Strawberry (perlatus)
* Ruggie (rugosus)
* Blueberry (purpureus)
* Viola (violascens)
* Aussie aka Crazy Crab (variabilis)

Legs walking
Purple-pincher
598*800

Fasty
Ecuadorian



Spiderman
Juvenile Strawberry, 1 day post molt


All 768x1024

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Oh lordy. Um, these are all smaller sizes than what I have on my computer. If any are chosen, I can send you ginormous files via email. Many of the photos can be cropped up the bajeezus and still will be very clear. Also, I am not feeling very well today, so I am just going to submit what I have. If there is a lack of something later on with PP's, indos, violas, or E's, I can take some shots.
Eyes:

Pontoon eyes
Indo (pink)
Full size


Gansta eyes
PP
Full size


Indo eyes
Indo
Full size


Godzilla eyes
PP
Full size


Smiles eyes
E
full size


Goose eyes
PP
full size


Godzilla eyes 2
PP
Full size

(if you don't get enough eyes, let me know and I can crop some of my other photos. These are just the ones I have pre-cropped)

Clamed up:

Tiny in shell
PP
full size


Indo in shell
indo
full size


Monkey in shell
E
full size


Crazy Eyes in shell
E
full size



pink vs regular (1 and 2) in shell
indo
full size


Sticky in shell
PP
full size

(if you need more viola clamed up shots, lemme know. I don't have any, but I can take some.)

Big pincher:


Godzilla pincher 1 and 2
PP
full

(again, I can take more shots or crop some if you don't get enough.)

Front view:



viola front 1 and 2 and 3
viola
full size



Pontoon front 1 and 2
Indo (pink)
full


unknown pp front
PP
full



Moose front 1 and 2
PP
full


tiny front
PP
full


Gangsta front
PP
full



Smiles front 1 and 2
E
full


purp front
PP
full


Coral front
PP
full





Monkey front 1-4
E
full


Poopy front
PP
full


Tiny front
PP
full


indo front
indo
full

Side:

Floyd side
PP
full


tiny side
PP
full



Crazy Eyes side 1 and 2
E
full






Monkey side 1-5
E (one PP)
full



Indo side 1 and 2
Indo
full


Moose side
PP
full


Sticky side
PP
full


Viola side
Viola
full

Top down view/backs:

Indo back
indo
full




Monkey back 1-3
E
full



Smiles back 1-2
E
full


Tiny back
PP
full


Godzilla back
PP
full

Raptor
leg
full size


Raptor
Front
full size



Kiwii
Front
full size


Vodka
Front
full size


Peanut
Side
Full size


Barri/Vodka
Claw in shell
Full size


Barri
top
full size


Barri
big claw
full size


Barri
both claws
full size


Peanut
front (can crop to eyes)
full size


Raptor
side/freshly molted
full size




Vodka
side/eyes/big claw
full size

I went and pulled a few pictures. All my images were originally full size, but most are cropped since if I get close to the tank they freak out, especially the straws. If you need the exact size let me know.


Torch and Flicker
Perlatus
Full, cropped


Flicker
Perlatus
Full, cropped


Flame
Perlatus
Full, cropped


Flame
Perlatus
Full, cropped


Ember 1
Perlatus
Full, cropped


Ember 2 (this is the full size if the one above)
Perlatus
Full, cropped


Peanut
Compressus
Full, cropped


Moe
Compressus
Full, cropped


Curly
Compressus
Full, cropped


Larry
Compressus
Full, cropped


Moose
Clypeatus
Full, cropped


Mickey
Clypeatus
Full, cropped


Fluffy
Clypeatus
Full, cropped

All pictures below are cropped. I have both the cropped & un-cropped originals saved. I can also crop them in to certain areas - like if you wanted a closer pic of just the eyes.



Violascens_Front
Viola
Full Sized


Violascens_Claw
Viola
Full Sized


Perlatus_TopEyes
Strawberry
Full Sized


Compressus_SideEyes
Ecuadorian
Full Sized


Compressus_Front
Ecuadorian
Full Sized


Clypeatus_Eyes
Purple Pincher
Full Sized

I have more on my old laptop that i still need to transfer, and still more that are still on my camera


AshZilla
c. clypeatus
1024x768



AshZilla
c. clypeatus
1023x766



Bug
c. compressus
1024x768



Bug
c. compressus
1023x766



Bug
c. compressus
1023x766



Lil Monster
c. compressus
1024x768



Lil Monster
c. compressus
1023x766



un-named E
c. compressus
1024x768



un-named E
c. compressus
1024x768



Un-named E
c. compressus
1023x766



un-named E
c. compressus
1024x768



Rapunzel
c. violascens (juvenile)
1024x705



Rapunzel
c. violascens (juvenile)
1024x705



Rapunzel
c. violascens (juvenile)
902x818



Rapunzel
c. violascens (juvenile)
1024x768



Midget
c. clypeatus (juvenile)
1024x768



Midget
c. clypeatus (juvenile)
1024x768




Molting Crab
c. clypeatus
1024x768






Molting Crab
c. clypeatus
1024x768

First off, not too techy, but if I don't resize it, they should all be "full-sized", right?
Here goes:

PP's


Side Picture of Largest Crab


Other Side of Largest Crab



Closed in shell


PP closed in shell


Big Girl Bright Colors


Big Girl in shell


Tremble in Shell





E's


Donkey from the side


Side of E


E in shell

Hello! I don't know if you guys have a species ID thing for sunset violas, but I got some great shots of mine that might help a confused new owner! (when I stumbled onto him, I thought he was a MHC because I hadn't seen anything like him on the species ID pics)
I can resize any pictures to a more even number if needed, all of them are 1024x768
Moose, front view
Viola (sunset)
1024x768


Moose, side view (or right? His right or mine?)
Viola (sunset)
1024x768


Moose, back
Viola (sunset)
1024x768

The background is really blurry, but you can see the cool pattern on his back!

Moose, claw closed into shell
Viola (sunset)
1024x768

I can try to get a better claw picture if it's needed.. he was clinging onto a piece of dirt and blocking the cameras view

Betelgeuse, front view
Strawberry
1024x768


Betelgeuse, odd colouration on closed claw
Strawberry
1024x768


Nudge, very large very dark PP, back
Purple Pincher
1024x768


(Unfortunately, the quality of this one is really bad. BUT you can still tell what he is and see his weird colours)
Maximum, abnormally white (sickly) colour, front view
Purple Pincher
1024x768


Cookie, eyes
Blueberry
1024x768


Cookie, front view
Blueberry
1024x768


Cream, side/back view
Blueberry
1024x768

Decided now was a good time to go through my hard drive and organize pictures.
Same deal as last time.


Clypeatus_Flipped
Purple Pincher
Full Sized


Clypeatus_Color
Purple Pincher
Full Sized


Clypeatus_Purple
Purple Pincher
Full Sized


Clypeatus_Water
Purple Pincher
Full Sized


Compressus_FrontEyes
Ecuadorian
Full Sized


Compressus_Color
Ecuadorian
Full Sized

Florence by SugarSelections
viola
1023x827


Bali (side) by SugarSelections
indo
1067x1355


Bali (BP) by SugarSelections
indo
1570x1245


Bitsy by SugarSelections
purple pincher
1534x1153


Clancy by SugarSelections
straw
1534x1153


Darwin (on branch) by SugarSelections
aussie
912x685


Darwin (on bonsai) by SugarSelections
aussie
911x684


Darwin (on cork) by SugarSelections
aussie
912x685


Darwin (corn) by SugarSelections
aussie
913x684


Darwin (thumb) by SugarSelections
aussie
1367x1024


Fiddle by SugarSelections
purple pincher
1598x1232


Inca (petholatus) by SugarSelections
ecuadorian
1366x1024


Inca (silver) by SugarSelections
ecuadorian
1022x770


Lexington by SugarSelections
ecuadorian
1367x1024


Merah (side) by SugarSelections
indo
1367x1024


Merah (BP) by SugarSelections
indo
2048x1536


Miso by SugarSelections
viola
1368x1025


Tokyo by SugarSelections
blueberry
1368x1025


Violet by SugarSelections
blueberry
913x684


Cabot by SugarSelections
straw
1366x1024


Cardinal by SugarSelections
straw
1023x769


Clementine by SugarSelections
straw
1367x1024

I have a couple more viola shots to share Since people are more likely to find a red baby viola then a sunset. (And it's easy to mistake them for a baby strawberry )
Orion side view 1
Viola
600x800


Orion side view 2
Viola
600x800


Nova, closed up
Viola
600x800

Odd side thought that might need to go on the ID sheet: Is it just me, or is it only the big violas who have the black eyestalks? I noticed that on all three of mine who are all teenies/small and someone else's who I saw a picture of, they all have bright orange eyestalks

Me again I got another photo shoot with Moose, figured I'd share since I got some good shots


Moose closed claw clean
Viola (sunset)
800x600


Moose threatening claw
Viola (sunset)
800x600



Moose front views 1, 2, 3 and 4
All 800x600








Moose eyes 1 and 2
Both 800x600





Moose butt
800x600



Yea I know.. "Stop sharing pictures Rocky!" But I'm not done yet, still gonna get another photoshoot with B and the new baby violas