hermit crab @ terumbu raya 09Feb2009

hermit crab 1 @ terumbu raya 09Feb2009 from BeachBum on Vimeo.


hermit crab 2 @ terumbu raya 09Feb2009 from BeachBum on Vimeo.


hermit crab 3 @ terumbu raya 09Feb2009 from BeachBum on Vimeo.


hermit crab 4 @ terumbu raya 09Feb2009 from BeachBum on Vimeo.


hermit crab 5 @ terumbu raya 09Feb2009 from BeachBum on Vimeo.

The movement of this hermit crab caught my eye as I scanned the rubble. I thought i saw a rock move and went over to investigate. This was a rather large hairy hermit crab...not commonly seen on our shores...and more rarely seen on submerged reefs like Terumbu Raya.

It seemed at home on the 'dusty' sand. and went on picking at the sand and sargassum for morsels of food. Video 4 shows it's ability to right itself up. Almost the whole body comes out of the protective shell (a snail used to formerly inhabit it) and the crabs pulls itself the preferred way up. Strong wave action can frequently turn the shells and it is important for hermit crabs to be able to set themselves under cover soon enough.

For more on hermit crabs see :-
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/crustacea/anomurafi.htm
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/crustacea/othercrust/anomura/hermit/veryhairy.htm

See also http://nakedhermitcrabs.blogspot.com/ !