Thermal resistance increases for hermit crabs depending on their natural habitat, for example, if an animal is more accustomed to extreme differences in tides, then it will be more tollerant of thermal changes. Pagurus samuelis domonstrated no variance in thermal tollerance based on size.
As the hermit crab grows it begins to look for replacement shells, the selection of its new shell is crucial to its survival and reproduction. If it cannot locate a new shell in a timely manner, the hermit crab risks a decrease in protection from preditors and dessication.
Hermit crab populations are limited by the amount of gastropod shells available in their immediate habitat.
In a study done to test whether these hermit crabs preffered their original shell or a different abandoned shell, scientists found that P. samuelis have the ability to locate their shell based in chemical cues. In this expiriment scientiss boiled the irginal shells and the hermit crab showed no prefference for any shell; but when placed in water with the original, unboiled, shell and the different, unboiled, shell, the hermit crab went for its original shell. The scientists thus concluded that these hermit crabs are able to sense which shell is theirs.
