Strawberry hermit crab (Coenobita perlatus, H. Milne Edwards, 1837) gastropod shell utilization pattern according to the type and size

Abstract

Coenobita perlatus is a terrestrial hermit crab belonging to the genus Coenobita. Like most other Paguroids, C. perlatus utilize empty shells to protect its abdomen. According to research conducted on other species, the preference of each species allows it to assess the suitability of a shell based on its architecture and size, subsequently establishing a consistent sequence of preference among different Gastropod shells. The selection behaviour of C. perlatus, however, has never been properly studied and available information regarding its preference is mostly based on observation in the wild. This research aims to investigate the sequence of preference established by C. perlatus when assessing the shells of Turbo setosus, Hexaplex cichoreum, Hemifusus ternatanus, with multiple-alternative test, and to determine the degree of relationship between crab morphometric and shell dimensions. The result shows a significant consistency in the sequence of shell selection (W = 0.5544), whilst no significant degree of relationship is recorded between any data pair (R2=0.0031– 0.4146). The different features of the shells significantly affect the crab’s fitness; triggering selective behaviour. On the other hand, specific sized shell is often unavailable; forcing crabs to ignore slight difference in size when choosing a shell.