White Speckled Hermit Crab

Paguristes punticeps

 Red crab with hairy white spots. They have deep blue eyes and can grow to about 5 inches. In the last pictures, the crab in the Welk (round shell) is eyeing up the conch shell as his "new digs".  The conch shell, however, already has an occupant. The current tenant may have to fight off the intruder if the larger crab decides he wants to claim it for himself. When good mobile homes are scarce, crabs will fight over shells. The looser will probably die.  Please don't remove empty shells from the ocean. There are at least three species of White Speckled Crabs that are very similar. See my YouTube Video of a White Speckled Hermit Crab. All photos taken underwater.