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{{Short description|Species of crustacean}}
{{Italic title}}{{Taxobox
{{Speciesbox
⚫
| name = ''Coenobita perlatus''
| image = Bernardl'hermitedenis.JPG
| image = Bernardl'hermitedenis.JPG
⚫
| taxon = Coenobita perlatus
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
⚫
| authority = [[Henri Milne-Edwards|H. Milne-Edwards]], 1837&nbsp;<ref>{{cite web |author=Patsy McLaughlin |title=''Coenobita perlatus'' H. Milne Edwards, 1837 |editor=P. McLaughlin |work=World Paguroidea database |publisher=[[World Register of Marine Species]] |url=http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=208660 |access-date=April 15, 2010}}</ref>
| phylum = [[Arthropod]]a
| subphylum = [[Crustacean|Crustacea]]
| classis = [[Malacostraca]]
| ordo = [[Decapoda]]
| familia = [[Coenobitidae]]
| genus = ''[[Coenobita]]''
| species = '''''C. perlatus'''''
| binomial = ''Coenobita perlatus''
⚫
| binomial_authority = [[Henri Milne-Edwards|H. Milne-Edwards]], 1837&nbsp;<ref>{{cite web |author=Patsy McLaughlin |title=''Coenobita perlatus'' H. Milne Edwards, 1837 |editor=P. McLaughlin |work=World Paguroidea database |publisher=[[World Register of Marine Species]] |url=http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=208660 |accessdate=April 15, 2010}}</ref>
}}
}}
{{portal|Crustaceans}}
{{portal|Crustaceans}}


'''''Coenobita perlatus''''', is a [[species]] of [[terrestrial animal|terrestrial]] [[hermit crab]]. It is known as the '''strawberry hermit crab''' because of its reddish orange colours. It is a widespread scavenger across the [[Indo-Pacific]], and is also traded to hobby aquarists.
'''''Coenobita perlatus''''' is a [[species]] of [[terrestrial animal|terrestrial]] [[hermit crab]]. It is known as the '''strawberry hermit crab''' because of its reddish-orange colours. It is a widespread scavenger across the [[Indo-Pacific]], and wild-caught specimens are traded to hobby [[aquarists]].


==Description==
==Description==
Adults may grow to an average length of {{convert|80|mm|abbr=on}} and a [[mass]] of {{convert|80|g|abbr=on}}, and inhabit discarded [[gastropod shell]]s.<ref name="AFD"/> They are coloured red or orange; this has led to the species' [[common name]] of ''strawberry hermit crab''.<ref name="Pavia">{{cite book |title=Hermit Crab: Your Happy Healthy Pet |author=Audrey Pavia |isbn=978-0-471-79379-3 |year=2006 |chapter=What is a hermit crab? |pages=13–22 |url=http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/95/04717937/0471793795.pdf |format=[[Portable Document Format|PDF]]}}</ref>
Adults may grow to a typical length of {{convert|80|mm|abbr=on}} and weight of {{convert|80|g|abbr=on}}, and inhabit discarded [[gastropod shell]]s.<ref name="AFD"/> They are coloured red or orange; this has led to the species' [[common name]] of ''strawberry hermit crab''.<ref name="Pavia">{{cite book |title=Hermit Crab: Your Happy Healthy Pet |author=Audrey Pavia |isbn=978-0-471-79379-3 |year=2006 |chapter=What is a hermit crab? |pages=[https://archive.org/details/hermitcrab0000pavi/page/13 13–22] |publisher=Wiley |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/hermitcrab0000pavi/page/13 |chapter-format=[[Portable Document Format|PDF]] |chapter-url-access=registration }}</ref> ''C. perlatus'' and the other members of ''Coenobita'' should not be considered easy pets, as the conditions they need in the wild are difficult and expensive to set up in captivity. Even ideal captive conditions still considerably shorten their life, and they never reproduce.


==Distribution==
==Distribution==
''C. perlatus'' lives in a wide swathe of the [[Indo-Pacific]], from [[Mauritius]], [[Seychelles]] and [[Aldabra]] in the west to [[Samoa]] in the east.<ref name="ADW">{{cite web |author=Noelle McKenzie |year=1999 |title=''Coenobita perlatus'' |publisher=[[Animal Diversity Web]] |accessdate=April 15, 2010 |url=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Coenobita_perlatus.html}}</ref> In [[Australia]], the species is limited to [[Christmas Island]], the [[Cocos Islands]], the [[Great Barrier Reef]] and the [[Coral Sea Islands|Coral Sea Islands Territory]].<ref name="AFD">{{cite web |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/online-resources/fauna/afd/taxa/Coenobita_perlatus |title=Species ''Coenobita perlatus'' H. Milne Edwards, 1837 |work=[[Australian Faunal Directory]] |publisher=[[Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts]] |date=January 30, 2009 |accessdate=April 15, 2010}}</ref> In the wild, animals may live for 25–30 years, but only live for 1–4 years in [[Captivity (animal)|captivity]].<ref name="ADW"/>
''C. perlatus'' lives in a wide swathe of the [[Indo-Pacific]], from [[Indonesia]], [[Mauritius]], [[Seychelles]], and [[Aldabra]] in the west to [[Samoa]] in the east.<ref name="ADW">{{cite web |author=Noelle McKenzie |year=1999 |title=''Coenobita perlatus'' |publisher=[[Animal Diversity Web]] |accessdate=April 15, 2010 |url=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Coenobita_perlatus.html}}</ref> In [[Australia]], the species is limited to [[Christmas Island]], the [[Cocos Islands]], the [[Great Barrier Reef]], and the [[Coral Sea Islands|Coral Sea Islands Territory]].<ref name="AFD">{{cite web |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/online-resources/fauna/afd/taxa/Coenobita_perlatus |title=Species ''Coenobita perlatus'' H. Milne Edwards, 1837 |work=[[Australian Faunal Directory]] |publisher=[[Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts]] |date=January 30, 2009 |accessdate=April 15, 2010}}</ref> In the wild, animals may live for 25–30 years, but in [[Captivity (animal)|captivity]] they only live for 1–4 years and do not reproduce.<ref name="ADW"/>


==Ecology and behaviour==
==Ecology and behaviour==
''C. perlatus'' keeps a supply of water in the shell it inhabits. It returns to the sea at night to refresh its water, and it performs [[osmoregulation]] by taking appropriate quantities of [[sea water]] and [[freshwater|fresh water]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The terrestrial invasion: an ecophysiological approach to the origins of land animals |series=Cambridge studies in ecology |author=Colin Little |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |year=1990 |isbn=978-0-521-33669-7 |chapter=Life on land |pages=201–246}}</ref> In the heat of the day, it can bury itself in damp sand as a means of [[thermoregulation]] and to prevent water loss.<ref name="SA">{{cite web |url=http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/water/tescmon2.htm |title=Coastal Monsoon |publisher=[[South Australian Museum]] |accessdate=April 15, 2010}}</ref> It can also withdraw into its shell and close the [[aperture]] with its claws.<ref name="SA"/>
''C. perlatus'' keeps a supply of water in the shell it inhabits. It returns to the sea at night to refresh its water, and it performs [[osmoregulation]] by taking appropriate quantities of [[sea water]] and [[fresh water]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The terrestrial invasion: an ecophysiological approach to the origins of land animals |series=Cambridge studies in ecology |author=Colin Little |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |year=1990 |isbn=978-0-521-33669-7 |chapter=Life on land |pages=[https://archive.org/details/terrestrialinvas0000litt/page/201 201–246] |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/terrestrialinvas0000litt/page/201 }}</ref> In the heat of the day, it can bury itself in damp sand as a means of [[thermoregulation]] and to prevent water loss.<ref name="SA">{{cite web |url=http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/water/tescmon2.htm |title=Coastal Monsoon |publisher=[[South Australian Museum]] |accessdate=April 15, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060903060431/http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/water/tescmon2.htm |archive-date=September 3, 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It can also withdraw into its shell and close the [[aperture (mollusc)|aperture]] with its claws.<ref name="SA"/>


''C. perlatus'' is an efficient [[scavenger]], to the extent that the low numbers of carrion-breeding [[fly|flies]] on many islands have been attributed to the presence of ''C. perlatus''.<ref>{{cite book |title=The marine biology of the South China Sea: proceedings of the First International Conference on the Marine Biology of Hong Kong and the South China Sea, Hong Kong, 28 October-3 November 1990, Volume 2 |editor=Brian Morton |isbn=978-962-209-356-0 |publisher=[[Hong Kong University Press]] |year=1993 |isbn=978-962-209-355-3 |chapter=Are there obligate marine scavengers? |author=Joseph C. Britton & Brian Morton |pages=357–392}}</ref> It has also been observed to use its [[claw]]s to pinch the live flesh from the [[invasive species|invasive]] land snail ''[[Achatina fulica]]''.<ref>{{cite book |title=Problem of land snail pests in agriculture: a study of the giant African snail |author=P. D. Srivastava |publisher=[[Concept Publishing Company]] |year=1992 |isbn=978-81-7022-435-8 |pages=168}}</ref>
''C. perlatus'' is an efficient [[scavenger]], to the extent that the low numbers of carrion-breeding [[fly|flies]] on many islands have been attributed to the presence of ''C. perlatus''.<ref>{{cite book |title=The marine biology of the South China Sea: proceedings of the First International Conference on the Marine Biology of Hong Kong and the South China Sea, Hong Kong, 28 October-3 November 1990, Volume 2 |editor=Brian Morton |publisher=[[Hong Kong University Press]] |year=1993 |isbn= 978-962-209-355-3 |chapter=Are there obligate marine scavengers? |author=Joseph C. Britton & Brian Morton |pages=357–392}}</ref> It has also been observed to use its [[claw]]s to pinch the live flesh from the [[invasive species|invasive]] land snail ''[[Achatina fulica]]''.<ref>{{cite book |title=Problem of land snail pests in agriculture: a study of the giant African snail |author=P. D. Srivastava |publisher=[[Concept Publishing Company]] |year=1992 |isbn=978-81-7022-435-8 |pages=168}}</ref>


[[Egg (biology)|Eggs]] are brooded inside the shell that the female inhabits, but are released into the sea.<ref name="SA"/>
[[Egg (biology)|Eggs]] are brooded inside the shell that the female inhabits, but are released into the sea.<ref name="SA"/>


==Taxonomic history==
==Taxonomic history==

{{TaxonIds |eol=2922407 |worms=208660 |others=[http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Coenobita_perlatus.html ADW]}}
''Coenobita perlatus'' was [[alpha taxonomy|originally described]] in 1837 by [[Henri Milne-Edwards]], based on material from [[Mauritius]].<ref name="AFD"/>
''C. perlatus'' was [[alpha taxonomy|originally described]] in 1837 by [[Henri Milne-Edwards]], based on material from [[Mauritius]].<ref name="AFD"/>


==Pets==
==Pets==
''C. perlatus'' is the rarest of the six species which are frequently found in the hobby aquarium trade.<ref name="Pavia"/>
''C. perlatus'' is the rarest of the six species that are frequently found in the hobby aquarium trade.<ref name="Pavia"/>


==More Info==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
⚫
{{commonscat|Coenobita perlatus}}
⚫
*[http://www.exotic-pets.co.uk/strawberry-hermit-crab.html Strawberry hermit crab] from exotic-pets.co.uk


{{Taxonbar|from=Q2702918}}
Strawberry hermit crabs are the most challenging crabs to care for due to their sensitivity to changes in their environment.

Coenobita perlatus (the "strawberry hermit crab") is one of the most exotic-looking species of and hermit crab to arrive in the U.S. Identifying them is a breeze, because their entire body is the color of a ripe strawberry and their eyes look like polished hematite beads.

Coenobita perlatus is native to the Pacific islands as well. I recall seeing a picture of a strawberry crab in a crude hermit crab care book that was published in the late 1970s. At that point in time strawberry crabs were not being shipped to the U.S. Most people crabbers had heard of them, but never dreamed of them becoming available as pets in the U.S. In the late 1990's, strawberry crabs became a threatened species in Australia, where it is still illegal to harvest them for the pet trade. From what I understand, the strawberry crabs that are being sold as pets in the U.S. come from Malaysia and Indonesia, where they are not yet a threatened species.

C. perlatus' most distinctive feature is its bright red color. The crab is predisposed towards a reddish/orangish color, but the intensity of the color depends upon the crab's diet. Strawberry crabs that are fed adequate amounts of carotene-containing food will retain their bright red color after they molt. If the crabs do not get enough carotene, they will molt out a lighter color. See the pictures below for a very good look at how the amount of carotene affects the crabs' coloring. Some people will recall that the flamingo is another animal that derives its bright coloring from its diet.

To make sure your strawberry crabs stay nice and red, be sure to feed them plenty of the foods they need. See the Special Needs section below.

C. rugosus and C. cavipes can and do molt into red colors sometimes rivaling the intensity of the strawberry's coloring. If you have a crab that you think is a strawberry, but you are not sure, look at the crab's eyes. The eyes of a strawberry crab usually look like they are made of polished hematite. Because of this, their eyes may appear cloudy to a new strawberry crab owner, who might think the crab is preparing to molt. Be sure to always check for other molting signs! Also, strawberry crabs have small white bumps covering their bodies. Since they do not produce hair-like filaments, they are not exactly setae pores. They look more like small white goosebumps.

Special Needs. Strawberry crabs are extremely delicate crustaceans. They need a crabitat with plenty of humidity and a constant temperature. They need a large saltwater pool and a whole lot of room to roam. Even experienced hermit crab lovers on the cutting edge of crab care have reported a lot of trouble with caring for strawberry crabs. These beauties are NOT RECOMMENDED FOR BEGINNERS

Strawberry crabs need to eat foods rich in carotene to maintain their brilliant red coloring. The best foods for keeping them bright and healthy are sun-dried baby shrimp, dried plankton, and color-enhancing fish food. Make sure they always have access to one of these foods. Strawberry crabs also need and love salt water! Especially right after you bring them home from the pet store. They will drink it for hours.
Molting. C. perlatus molts well in both moist sand and Forest Bedding, so the general molting method described on the Molting page works well for them. Strawberry crabs' molting habits are similar to those of the purple pincher or Ecuadorian crabs. They will dig under and molt and then come back up when they are ready.

Temperament. For all their beauty, strawberry crabs have gotten a bit of a reputation as "tank trashers." A group of active and determined strawberry crabs can totally destroy a well-ordered crabitat overnight! They will come out and visit with you if they choose to do so, which they usually do. The strawberry crab's temperament is friendly enough but it is not a "runs in all directions at once" sort of crab like the Ecuadorian. Strawberry crabs enjoy shell-shopping, so get them nice polished shells that show off their pretty red coloring. In the year that I have owned them, I have never heard any of my strawberry crabs chirp. So if you are looking for a hermit crab with a lot of personality, I suggest you begin with an Ecuadorian or a Ruggie. Strawberry hermit crabs are more often puchased for their looks rather than temperament, though I have met some very sweet strawberries.

Compatibility. I have been keeping my C. perlatuses in a crabitat along with my Ecuadorians and other exotic species. They get along well with all the species and their coloring does not make them a target for harassment. Keep an eye on the crabitat initially after introducing ANY new species, to make sure there is no trouble.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}


==External links==
⚫
{{Commons category|Coenobita perlatus}}
⚫
*[http://www.exotic-pets.co.uk/strawberry-hermit-crab.html Strawberry hermit crab] from exotic-pets.co.uk
[[Category:Hermit crabs]]
[[Category:Hermit crabs]]
[[Category:Terrestrial crustaceans]]
[[Category:Terrestrial crustaceans]]
[[Category:Pet crustaceans]]
[[Category:Crustaceans described in 1837]]
[[Category:Animals described in 1837]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Henri Milne-Edwards]]

Latest revision as of 13:00, 12 April 2024

Coenobita perlatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Anomura
Family: Coenobitidae
Genus: Coenobita
Species:
C. perlatus
Binomial name
Coenobita perlatus

Coenobita perlatus is a species of terrestrial hermit crab. It is known as the strawberry hermit crab because of its reddish-orange colours. It is a widespread scavenger across the Indo-Pacific, and wild-caught specimens are traded to hobby aquarists.

Description[edit]

Adults may grow to a typical length of 80 mm (3.1 in) and weight of 80 g (2.8 oz), and inhabit discarded gastropod shells.[2] They are coloured red or orange; this has led to the species' common name of strawberry hermit crab.[3] C. perlatus and the other members of Coenobita should not be considered easy pets, as the conditions they need in the wild are difficult and expensive to set up in captivity. Even ideal captive conditions still considerably shorten their life, and they never reproduce.

Distribution[edit]

C. perlatus lives in a wide swathe of the Indo-Pacific, from Indonesia, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Aldabra in the west to Samoa in the east.[4] In Australia, the species is limited to Christmas Island, the Cocos Islands, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Coral Sea Islands Territory.[2] In the wild, animals may live for 25–30 years, but in captivity they only live for 1–4 years and do not reproduce.[4]

Ecology and behaviour[edit]

C. perlatus keeps a supply of water in the shell it inhabits. It returns to the sea at night to refresh its water, and it performs osmoregulation by taking appropriate quantities of sea water and fresh water.[5] In the heat of the day, it can bury itself in damp sand as a means of thermoregulation and to prevent water loss.[6] It can also withdraw into its shell and close the aperture with its claws.[6]

C. perlatus is an efficient scavenger, to the extent that the low numbers of carrion-breeding flies on many islands have been attributed to the presence of C. perlatus.[7] It has also been observed to use its claws to pinch the live flesh from the invasive land snail Achatina fulica.[8]

Eggs are brooded inside the shell that the female inhabits, but are released into the sea.[6]

Taxonomic history[edit]

C. perlatus was originally described in 1837 by Henri Milne-Edwards, based on material from Mauritius.[2]

Pets[edit]

C. perlatus is the rarest of the six species that are frequently found in the hobby aquarium trade.[3]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Patsy McLaughlin. P. McLaughlin (ed.). "Coenobita perlatus H. Milne Edwards, 1837". World Paguroidea database. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c "Species Coenobita perlatus H. Milne Edwards, 1837". Australian Faunal Directory. Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. January 30, 2009. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  3. ^ a b Audrey Pavia (2006). "What is a hermit crab?" (PDF). Hermit Crab: Your Happy Healthy Pet. Wiley. pp. 13–22. ISBN 978-0-471-79379-3.
  4. ^ a b Noelle McKenzie (1999). "Coenobita perlatus". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  5. ^ Colin Little (1990). "Life on land". The terrestrial invasion: an ecophysiological approach to the origins of land animals. Cambridge studies in ecology. Cambridge University Press. pp. 201–246. ISBN 978-0-521-33669-7.
  6. ^ a b c "Coastal Monsoon". South Australian Museum. Archived from the original on September 3, 2006. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  7. ^ Joseph C. Britton & Brian Morton (1993). "Are there obligate marine scavengers?". In Brian Morton (ed.). The marine biology of the South China Sea: proceedings of the First International Conference on the Marine Biology of Hong Kong and the South China Sea, Hong Kong, 28 October-3 November 1990, Volume 2. Hong Kong University Press. pp. 357–392. ISBN 978-962-209-355-3.
  8. ^ P. D. Srivastava (1992). Problem of land snail pests in agriculture: a study of the giant African snail. Concept Publishing Company. p. 168. ISBN 978-81-7022-435-8.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coenobita perlatus.
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