Caribbean Hermit Crab

The Caribbean hermit crab, also called the soldier crab, tree crab, or purple pincher, is a land hermit crab found around the west Atlantic, including Belize, southern Florida, Venezuela, and the West Indies. Its left claw is larger than its right and is purple in color, and adults burrow and hide under the roots of large trees, sometimes a considerable distance inland, using modified gills that need the humidity inside their shells to breathe air. Females release fertilized eggs into the ocean during spawning that usually occurs around August, and the species feeds on animal and plant remains, overripe fruit, and droppings left by other animals. It is among the most popular hermit crabs in the American pet trade, with confirmed lifespans of 12 years and reports of individuals living as long as 40.