Calcinus latens
Species of crab
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Calcinus latens, the hidden hermit crab, is a species of hermit crab in the family Diogenidae.[1]
| Calcinus latens | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
| Infraorder: | Anomura |
| Family: | Diogenidae |
| Genus: | Calcinus |
| Species: | C. latens |
| Binomial name | |
| Calcinus latens (Randall, 1840) | |
Description
Calcinus latens is a small hermit crab, ranging in shell size from 2 to 7 mm (0.08 to 0.28 in) long, distinguished by olive green bodies, dark-tipped legs, and varying-sized claws, with the left being larger than the right.[2] There is significant sexual dimorphism within the species, with males and intersex hermit crabs typically larger in size than females.[3] Reef ecosystems can provide little visibility, so the C. latens relies on chemosensory structures to explore, protect, and hide in its environment.[4] Even with certain chemosensory abilities in its environment, the C. latens will frequently lose in competition for shells with another species in the same genus, Calcinus laevimanus.[5]
Distribution and habitat
Calcinus latens is a common hermit crab species distributed throughout the tropical Indo Pacific region, including areas such as Australia, Japan, the Eastern Coast of Africa, and Hawai'i.[2] It inhabits coral reefs, hiding under rocks and rubble in intertidal and shallow subtidal zones, at depths up to 5 m (16 ft).[2][6]
