Common Hermit Crab | Oceana
Home / Common Hermit Crab
Marine Life Encyclopedia > Cephalopods, Crustaceans, & Other Shellfish > Common Hermit Crab

Common Hermit Crab

The common hermit crab may be small, but it’s one of the beach’s most recognizable residents — famous for carrying its home on its back. This crab uses empty shells of other animals for protection, switching to larger ones as it grows.

 

Found along the coasts of northwestern Europe in the North Atlantic, these crabs have a soft, coiled abdomen that leaves them vulnerable — which is why they rely on abandoned shells for safety. The common hermit crab typically occupies shells from periwinkles or whelks, carefully selecting a shell and sometimes even competing with others for the best fit. Ideally, a crab chooses a shell that is the perfect fit – too small, and there’s no room to grow; too large, and the shell may not offer proper protection. Despite their protective homes, hermit crabs still face predators such as fish, octopuses, sea stars, other crabs, and seabirds. Some birds are known to pick up these crabs and drop them from a height onto rocks to crack open their shell.

These hermit crabs are scavengers, feeding on everything from decaying plants and animals to, on rare occasions, other hermit crabs when food is scarce. They also often come together, forming loose groups led by a dominant male. Within these groups, crabs may compete for food or new shells, starting with visual displays to intimidate rivals — and if that fails, engaging in physical battles to try to dislodge the other crab from its shell.

 

 

Little is known about the population status of common hermit crabs or the threats they may face. However, like all ocean animals, they depend on healthy, clean, abundant oceans to survive. It is known that other species of hermit crabs are threatened by plastic pollution – they may become trapped in the debris, killing them – and it is possible that common hermit crabs may face this threat as well.

 

 

Working towards clean, healthy oceans free from pollution benefits wildlife around the world. We must curb single-use plastic at the source – by passing local, state, and national policies that reduce the production and use of unnecessary single-use plastic that is flowing into our oceans, while also working with companies to move to refillable and reusable systems. Learn more about Oceana’s work to create plastic-free seas here.

 

 

Animal Diversity Web

Lavers JL, et al. 2020. Entrapment in plastic debris endangers hermit crabs. Journal of Hazardous Materials
387:121703 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121703

 

 

GET INVOLVED

DONATE TODAY

SUPPORT OUR WORK TO PROTECT THE OCEANS BY GIVING TODAY

With the support of more than 1 million activists like you, we have already protected over 4 million square miles of ocean.

DONATE

TAKE ACTION NOW

SUPPORT POLICY CHANGE FOR THE OCEANS

Decision-makers need to hear from ocean lovers like you. Make your voice heard!

ACT NOW

VISIT OUR ADOPTION CENTER

SYMBOLICALLY ADOPT AN ANIMAL TODAY

Visit our online store to see all the ocean animals you can symbolically adopt, either for yourself or as a gift for someone else.

SHOP THE STORE

DOWNLOAD OCEAN ACTIVITIES

HELP KIDS DISCOVER OUR BLUE PLANET

Our free KELP (Kids Environmental Lesson Plans) empower children to learn about and protect our oceans!

LEARN MORE

FEATURED CAMPAIGN

Save the Oceans, Feed the World

We are restoring the world’s wild fish populations to serve as a sustainable source of protein for people.

Learn More

MORE CAMPAIGNS

Protect Habitat

Bycatch

Plastics

View All

CONTACT

Oceana International Headquarters
1025 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036 USA

General Inquiries
+1(202)-833-3900
info@oceana.org

Donation Inquiries
+1(202)-569-4895
wavemaker@oceana.org

Press Inquiries
+1(202)-833-3900
press@oceana.org

OCEANA'S EFFICIENCY

BECOME A WAVEMAKER

Sign up today to get weekly updates and action alerts from Oceana.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT WITH A DONATION

We have already protected over 4 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea life - but there is still more to be done.

Donate Now

QUICK LINKS: