Paguritta
| 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] | |
| |
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]
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]
References
- ^ a b "Paguritta Melin, 1939". DecaNet. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2026-03-15.
- ^ "Coral Hermit Crab | Smithsonian Ocean".
- ^ Miyake, S., 1982. Japanese Crustacean Decapods and Stomatopods in Color. I. Macrura, Anomura and Stomatopoda. Osaka, Hoikusha Publishing Co., Ltd. 261 pp. (In Japanese).
- ^ Lewinsohn, Ch., 1978. Bemeikungen zurTaxonomie von Paguriita harmsi (Gordon) (Crustacea Decapoda, Anomura) und Beschreibung einer neuen Art der gleichen Gattung aus Australien. Zool. Med., 53:243-252.
- ^ Schuhmacher, H., 1977. A hermit crab, sessile on corals, exclusively feeds by feathered antennae. Oecologia (Berl.), 27: 371-374.
- ^ a b c McLaughlin, Patsy A.; Lemaitre, Rafael (1993). "A review of the hermit crab genus Paguritta (Decapoda: Anomura: Paguridae) with descriptions of three new species". Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. 41 (1): 1–29. hdl:10088/7371.
- ^ Melin, G. (1939). "Paguriden und Galatheiden von Prof. Dr. Sixten Bocks Expedition nach den Bonin-Inseln". Kungliga Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Handlingar. 18: 1–119.
- ^ "Paguritta Melin, 1939". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ Forest, J., 1966. Campagne dans le golfe de Guinee et aux les Principe, Sao Tome et Annobon (1956). 17. Crustaces Decapodes; Pagurides. Ris. Sci. Camp. Calypso. Ann. Inst. Oceanogr. n.s., 44:159-172.