- Pagurus bernhardus
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Pagurus bernhardus 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Subphylum: Crustacea Class: Malacostraca Order: Decapoda Superfamily: Paguroidea Family: Paguridae Genus: Pagurus Species: P. bernhardus Binomial name Pagurus bernhardus
(Linnaeus, 1758)Synonyms Eupagurus bernhardus Linnaeus, 1758
Pagurus bernhardus is the common marine hermit crab of Europe's Atlantic coasts. It is sometimes referred to as the common hermit crab or soldier crab. It is about 3.5 centimetres (1.4 in) long,[1] and is found in both rocky and sandy areas, from the Arctic waters of Iceland, Svalbard and Russia as far south as southern Portugal, but its range does not extend as far as the Mediterranean Sea. It can be found in pools on the upper shore and at the mean tide level down to a depth of approximately 140 metres (460 ft), with smaller specimens generally found in rock pools around the middle shore and lower shore regions, with larger individuals at depth. P. bernhardus is an omnivorous detritivore[2][3] that opportunistically scavenges for carrion,[4] and which can also filter feed when necessary.
Pagurus bernhardus uses shells of a number of gastropod species for protection, including Littorina littorea, Littorina obtusata, Nucella lapillus and Buccinum.[5] In the warmer parts of its range, the sea anemone Calliactis parasitica is often found growing on the shell occupied by Pagurus bernhardus. In colder waters, this rôle is filled by Hormathia digitata.
References
- ^ E. Wilson (2007). "Hermit crab — Pagurus bernhardus". Marine Life Information Network. http://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/Pagurusbernhardus.htm. Retrieved January 22, 2009.
- ^ E. S. Reese (1969). "Behavioural adaptations of intertidal hermit crabs". American Zoologist 9: 343–355.
- ^ J. H. Orton (1927). "On the mode of feeding of the hermit crab Eupagurus bernhardus and some other decapods". Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 14 (04): 909–921. doi:10.1017/S0025315400051146.
- ^ M. E. Laidre & R. W. Elwood (2008). "Motivation matters: cheliped extension displays in the hermit crab, Pagurus bernhardus, are honest signals of hunger". Animal Behaviour 75 (6): 2041–2047. doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2007.11.011.
- ^ "Common hermit crab (Pagurus bernhardus)". ARKive. http://www.arkive.org/species/ARK/invertebrates_marine/Pagurus_bernhardus/more_info.html. Retrieved January 22, 2009.
External links
Media related to Pagurus bernhardus at Wikimedia Commons- Charles Q. Choi (March 12, 2008). "Some crabs crabbier than others". LiveScience. http://www.livescience.com/animals/080312-crab-personality.html.
Categories:- Hermit crabs
- Crustaceans of the Atlantic Ocean
- British Isles coastal fauna
- Animals described in 1758
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