Paguritta
Genus of hermit crabs
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Paguritta is a genus of hermit crabs in the family Paguridae, known as coral hermit crabs.[2] Atypically for hermit crabs, this genus comprises species which live within polychaete tubes associated with corals (such as those of Spirobranchus giganteus),[3] or bore their own holes in living coral,[4] depending on species. They feed by filtering using their modified antennae equipped with setae and setules.[5][6][7]
| Paguritta | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
| Infraorder: | Anomura |
| Family: | Paguridae |
| Genus: | Paguritta Melin 1939 |
| Type species | |
| Paguritta gracilipes Melin, 1939 | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
There are seven species assigned to this genus:[1][8]
- Paguritta corallicola Lewinsohn, 1978
- Paguritta gracilipes Melin, 1939
- Paguritta harmsi (Gordon, 1935)
- Paguritta kroppi McLaughlin & Lemaitre, 1993
- Paguritta morgani McLaughlin & Lemaitre, 1993
- Paguritta scottae McLaughlin & Lemaitre, 1993
- Paguritta vittata Komai & Nishi, 1996
A diagnostic feature of this genus is the complete absence of pleopods in the males and their reduction in females; the former trait is shared with multiple other genera,[6] but only the females of Anapagurus drachi experience a similar degree of pleopod reduction.[9] Another is the symmetry of their uropods, thought to be due to their niche; hermit crabs inhabiting gastropod shells have asymmetrical uropods due to the shell's spiral. Paguritta kroppi individuals may have both male and female gonopores.[6]
