Species problem

[Wai]

Because I live in Australia, I do not have the other six hermit crab species in America. I am not sure how to tell the other six species apart, so could someone give me a hand?

Below are the info I need:

1. How to tell apart an Ecuadorian and a Rugosus
2. How to tell apart an Indonesian and a Purple Pincher (Caribbean)
3. Special features of a Cavipes (like how to tell them apart from other species)

Any comments or ideas will be greatly appreciated. These will also be added to the Species page.

[Julia_Crab]

Cavie: Looks like a ruggie except will be purplish or reddish and have flame red antennules.

Indo vs. PP: Indos have HUGE claws compared to their body size. The claws will have little lighter-colored freckles on the wrist joints, PPs have dark dots and not so many freckles on that part. Indo eyes are perfectly round and the eyestalks are black. The outer antennae are very thick at the bases and are usually orange, like ruggies. The shades of purple are different.

Compressus and rugosus can be VERY hard to tell apart, especially when small. The best way is by antenna color. Compressus antennae will be black, blue black or dark gray. Rugosus will have orange antennule tips and orange bases to the outer antennae.

You should study some of the species ID pages on CSJ and HCA.

[Wai]

Thank you Kerie. I myself can tell the species apart for most crabs, but I just don't know how to describe the differences.

[herm-ez]

You can tell the difference from pps and indo because pps have eyes shaped like commas and indos dont.


curtis