Hermit Crab

Found on tropical and subtropical islands in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans Coenobita clypeatus is a tropical land hermit crab that lives throughout the Caribbean and as far north as Florida and Bermuda . C. clypeatus spends most of its time in the woods but is known to travel to high sand hills near the shore. Because C. clypeatus has gills it must live in areas of high humidity. However their gills do not allow them to be fully submerged under water because the hermit crabs will drown. C. clypeatus has been found to travel across many different habitats and have climbed mountains as high as 887 meters. In Bermuda these crabs once roamed all over the island but now they are only know to inhabit Hungry Bay a small bay on the south shore of the island.
Juvenile clypeatus are often pale in color with a brightly colored large claw. As the crab molts and grows it's color becomes a deep, rich red. At times clypeatus may be dark, almost black depending on their diet. The granules covering their body are black. They have tufts of hair on the claws which can be used to bring water to the mouth. They will wear a wide variety of shells.