The Gaze of a Hermit

What am I looking at?

This is a glam shot of a hermit crab – a member of the superfamily Paguroidea. You can see its prominent eyes (1); its two pairs of antennae (2); the top of its asymmetrical claws, or chelipeds (3); and part of the shell it’s inhabiting at the rear (4).

Biology in the background

Hermit crabs have adapted to use the materials around them for protection rather than spending energy to create their own. They do not produce a shell themselves over most of their body but instead scavenge discarded shells from other aquatic organisms like snails. They use their right, larger claw to measure the diameter of the entrance. When they find a shell that fits, they crawl into it and turn around so their tender bodies are protected within the shell and their four armored legs, their head, and their claws are sticking out. They tend to use shells that are big enough so they can pull most of their body inside when they’re threatened, creating a barrier with their legs and claws that leaves none of their sensitive parts exposed.

As they get bigger, they discard a shell once they grow out of it and move into a new, larger shell. Most hermit crabs can live over 30 years in the field, and larger varieties have been known to live into their  seventies. But their lifespan in captivity is much shorter – a maximum of 15 years, even with proper care. Hermit crabs that are sold at beach stores and festivals are usually poached from the wild, usually in the Caribbean and Central America. They are often bought on a whim and die soon after. If you happen to get one, get at least two, as hermit crabs are social and enjoy company. And remember, they need both fresh and brackish water to survive and a varied diet – they will eat pretty much anything.

While most hermit crabs can grow up to 10 centimeters long, or roughly five times the width of a human thumbnail, giant hermit crabs can grow up to 30 centimeters, or almost a foot long.

Technique

This image was created using macrophotography.