Dr. Paddy Ryan, USA
Info
Paguritta corallicola Lewinsohn, 1978
A max. 1cm small hermit crab from the family Paguridae, the right-handed hermit crabs. Paguritta Melin, 1939, is a rather atypical genus of hermit crabs, both morphologically and ecologically. Certain Paguritta species have adapted to life either in polychaete tubes connected to corals or in self-created boreholes in living corals. They are also completely dependent on antenna filtering to obtain food.
The holotype used to describe the species was a female (carapace length = 3.3 mm) and came from Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, 10 m.
Paguritta corallicola lived in self-made drill holes in corals, especially in the coral Astropora myriopthalma. The fingers of his right scissors are said to be reddish. The very large eggs carried by females of this species suggest that development may be shortened.
Paguritta corallicola - Lives in self-dug holes in the stony coral Astropora myriopthalma (starflower coral)
Paguritta gracilipes - Lives in tubes of the coral epibiont Spirobranchus giganteus
Paguritta harmsi - Lives in polychaete tubes connected to corals
Paguritta kroppi - Found in holes in corals
Paguritta morgani - was found in worm burrows as well as from small holes in Montipora sp. Corals found
Paguritta scottae - was found in living Porites sp. found
A max. 1cm small hermit crab from the family Paguridae, the right-handed hermit crabs. Paguritta Melin, 1939, is a rather atypical genus of hermit crabs, both morphologically and ecologically. Certain Paguritta species have adapted to life either in polychaete tubes connected to corals or in self-created boreholes in living corals. They are also completely dependent on antenna filtering to obtain food.
The holotype used to describe the species was a female (carapace length = 3.3 mm) and came from Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, 10 m.
Paguritta corallicola lived in self-made drill holes in corals, especially in the coral Astropora myriopthalma. The fingers of his right scissors are said to be reddish. The very large eggs carried by females of this species suggest that development may be shortened.
Paguritta corallicola - Lives in self-dug holes in the stony coral Astropora myriopthalma (starflower coral)
Paguritta gracilipes - Lives in tubes of the coral epibiont Spirobranchus giganteus
Paguritta harmsi - Lives in polychaete tubes connected to corals
Paguritta kroppi - Found in holes in corals
Paguritta morgani - was found in worm burrows as well as from small holes in Montipora sp. Corals found
Paguritta scottae - was found in living Porites sp. found
