Max Size: ~2.5 cm (< 1 inch)
Habitat: Rocky intertidal zones, open shorelines, mud flats
Diet: Omnivorous scavengers. Forages on detritus (organic material left behind by deceased organisms) including fish, crustaceans, mollusks and algae
Fun Facts:
- Hermit crabs are named such because they use other animals’ shells as protection; carrying their “home” on their back to protect their soft abdomen
- Hermit crabs aren’t really hermits – they often interact peacefully with other crabs in order to pull off complex shell exchanges
- Long-clawed hermit crabs found in Hudson River Estuary usually sport shells form Mud Dog Whelks and Oyster drills
- P. longicarpus’ dominant claw is long and thin compared to other hermit crab species, hence the name longicarpus = “long hand”