Rank Species | Genus Coenobita Higher classification Coenobita | |
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Similar Coenobita, Hermit crab, Caribbean hermit crab, Ecuadorian hermit crab, Coenobita cavipes | ||
The Australian land hermit crab (Coenobita variabilis) is a terrestrial hermit crab species, native to Australia. It is a nocturnal, omnivorous crustacean. They are gregarious and thrive in tropical areas near water.
Contents
Australian land hermit crabs
Distribution
The Australian land hermit crab is endemic to northern parts of Australia including northern Western Australia, Northern Territory and northern Queensland.
Biology
The Australian land hermit crab (Coenobita variabilis) reaches a carapace length of 40 millimetres (1.6 in). They closely resemble the Pacific hermit crab (Coenobita compressus) in appearance and they both have a shortened aquatic development stage.
Australian hermit crabs are light brown to pale brown in colour, with two dark ovals on the front of the head. Their eyestalks are long and are the same colour as the body. Each claw has a dark vertical stripe. They have dark brown spots all over the legs. The abdomen is short and fat.
