Bering Hermit Crab

Front view.

Here is a view of the animal outside its shell. Note the large uropods at the end of the abdomen. Photo by Dave Cowles, July 2005

Legs 4 and 5 are reduced in hermit crabs, and in most of them leg 4 is subchelate, as seen here. In the picture, leg 1 (the left chela) is partly hidden. Legs 2 and 3 are long and used for walking. Legs 4 and 5 are reduced and used for manipulating the shell. Photo by Dave Cowles, July 2005

The features in the following pictures are useful for identifying this species: The carapace shield (anterior, calcified part) is about as wide as long. The rostrum is rounded. The eyescales have no deep median furrow and their base is not covered by the carapace. The carpus of the right cheliped is longer than wide. The dorsal surface of the left chela has no prominent ridge near the midline.

This is a view of the carpus, propodus, and dactyl of left legs 2 and 3 (+ a portion of the antennal flagellum). Anterior is downward. Note the line of spines easily visible on the posteroventral margin of the propodus of leg 3, and the red band at the junction of the propodus and dactyl.

The merus of the right cheliped has two large tubercles on the ventral side, visible here as orange spots. Anterior is downward in this photo.

Here is another individual of Pagurus beringanus

Pagurus beringanus, total length 2 cm, from extreme low intertidal on Sares Head (Photo by: Dave Cowles, July 2005)