Purple Pincher Hermit Crab

Class: Crustacea
Order: Decapoda
Family: Coenobitidae
Genus: Coenobita
Species: clypeatus

Hermit crabs earned their name because they salvage empty seashells to shelter in for protection. The front half of their body is covered with a hard exoskeleton like other crabs. Their long abdomen has a softer exoskeleton, which adapts to fit in the seashell. These crabs are slow moving and nocturnal, burying themselves beneath leaves, sand or rocks to avoid predators.