Halloween hermit crab

Trizopagurus strigatus

Trizopagurus strigatus is a hermit crab from the tropical Indo-Pacific. Its range extends from the Red Sea and the east coast of Africa to Japan, Hawaii, New Guinea and Australia. It is nocturnal, lives in coral reefs and is rare in its habitat.

Adult animals use case of cone snails ( Conidae ) to their soft abdomen to protect and have adapted to the slit-like entrance of the auger housing, a very flat build. The carapace of the crabs is white, the limbs closely orange and red striped, sensor and eye stalks are red, orange eyes. Juvenile crabs use the case of snails of the genera Murex and Mitra. Trizopagurus strigatus is about six inches long.

The crabs are omnivorous and feed on algae, carrion, and of every invertebrates.

Trizopagurus strigatus is sometimes imported for the aquarium maintenance and is easy to hold.