Land Hermit Crabs - Species List
C. rugosa
Taxonomy of Land Hermit Crabs | C. clypeatus | C. brevimanus | C. rugosa | Crab Care Sites

Home

Coenobita rugosus

Description:

Ranges in colour from white to deep red with white markings

Round eyestalks

Hairy legs

I havent found a photo of C. rugosus retracted in its shell , so I cannot say anything about the way theiy hold their legs.

 

Distribution worldwide:

-         Taiwan

-         Seychelles

-         Thailand

-         Christmas Island

-         Marshall Island

-         Ashmore Reef (Australia)

-         French Polynesia

-         Mozambique

-         Northern Mariana Islands

-         Madagascar

Often along with C. perlatus, brevimanus and cavipes and Birgus latro

 

Environment :

-         sandy beaches (Seychelles)

-         vegetation, climbing trees (Ashmore Reef)

-         mangroves

 

Ecological Niche / Behaviour:

As other LHC, C. rugosus is a scavenger and roams the beaches and the treeline for fruit, leaves, carrion (such as dead sea turtles), algae and other jetsam to eat. They live in large groups and are nocturnal. They need both fresh and salt water.

Is said to loot sea turtle nests

Use fossil shells if nothing else is available

 

Reproductive Needs:

I have not found anything specific about C. rugosus. Currently the crabs are not harvested very much, as they often live in nature parks and reservations.

 

Shells:

Nerita sp.

In Madagascar people collect snails for eating and leave the shells behind, so theres a more or less steady supply for the LHC

C. rugosa or Tawny Crab
rugosa1.jpg
from Vanessa Pike-Russell's Hermit Crab Page

C. rugosa, H. Milne Edwards, 1837
rugosa_chinese.jpg
Copyright © 2000 Hsi-Te Shih

Contributing researcher: Jennifer Bergk