Morgan's Hermit Crab

Calcinus morgani

Morgan's Hermit Crab is a distinctive species of hermit crab found in the Indo-West Pacific region, with its type locality in Indonesia. It can be identified by its whitish shield with dark brown margins and bright blue eye-stalks with brown bases. The left cheliped is larger, equipped with four to six robust calcified teeth, while the right is smaller with fewer teeth. The crab's chelipeds are dark brown with white tips and white tubercles, and its pereopods are dark brown with white bands near the claws. This species resides in coral and rock reef environments, typically in shallow waters just below the tide or in lower intertidal zones. It is often found in the intertidal zones of coral reefs and rocky shores exposed to strong wave action. Its distribution ranges from Madagascar to Australia, the Philippines, and other western Pacific islands. Morgan's Hermit Crab is generally found at depths shallower than 40 meters, although it can be found up to 80 meters deep. The species is part of the order Decapoda, which are mostly gonochoric, meaning they have distinct male and female individuals. Precopulatory courtship rituals are common, involving olfactory and tactile cues, and they usually engage in indirect sperm transfer. The conservation status of Morgan's Hermit Crab has not been evaluated, and it poses no threat to humans.