Flat-Clawed Hermit Crab
Pagurus pollicaris
Image by ‘cyric’ on iNaturalist, CC BY-NC-SA
Physical: The Flat-Clawed hermit crab is the largest hermit crab in the northeastern United States. They are usually gray to tan in color, and very slow moving. Carapace grows to an average of 3.8 cm.
Habitat: P. pollicaris are found in shallow waters, including estuaries, bays, and along ocean beaches. They live in salt water, and can survive salinities as low as 9 parts per thousand.
Feeding: Hermit crabs are opportunistic feeders. They feed primarily on amphipods and scuds.
Breeding: Like their relatives, the blue crabs, hermit crabs undergo internal fertilization. They are r-strategists producing many offspring.
