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Hermit Crab

Pagurus bernhardus

Classification

Family
Paguridae

Hermit crabs are anomuran decapod crustaceans of the superfamily Paguroidea that have adapted to occupy empty scavenged gastropod shells to protect their fragile abdomens. There are over 800 species of hermit crab, most of which possess an asymmetric abdomen concealed by a snug-fitting shell. Hermit crabs' soft (non-calcified) abdominal exoskeleton means they must occupy shelter produced by other organisms or risk being defenseless.

Distribution

Dick Belgers · CC BY
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Countries in the Picchu catalog
United Kingdom · 1,554Netherlands · 183Germany · 126France · 118Belgium · 65Spain · 9