Coenobita

The genus Coenobita contains 17 species of terrestrial hermit crabs.[1] Several species in this genus are kept as pets.

The junior homonym Coenobita Gistl, 1848 is now the moth genus Ectropis.

Coenobita
Caribbean hermit crab, C. clypeatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Anomura
Family: Coenobitidae
Genus: Coenobita
Latreille, 1829
Type species
Pagurus clypeatus
Fabricius, 1787 [1]

Ecology

Coenobita species carry water in the gastropod shells they inhabit, allowing them to stay out of water for a long time.[2]

Distribution

The majority of the species are found in the Indo-Pacific region, with only one species in West Africa, one species occurring along the Atlantic coast of the Americas, and one species occurring on the Pacific coast of the Americas.[3]

ImageSpeciesAuthorityYearDistribution [3]
Coenobita brevimanusDana1852Indo-Pacific
Coenobita carnescensDana1851Pacific Ocean
Coenobita cavipesStimpson1858Indo-Pacific
Coenobita clypeatus(Fabricius)1787Western Atlantic
Coenobita compressusH. Milne-Edwards1836Eastern Pacific
Coenobita lilaRahayu2016Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia
Coenobita longitarsisDe Man1902East Indies
Coenobita olivieriOwen1839Pacific Ocean
Coenobita perlatusH. Milne-Edwards1837Indo-Pacific
Coenobita pseudorugosusNakasone1988Indo-Pacific
Coenobita purpureusStimpson1858Japan
Coenobita rubescensGreeff1884West Africa
Coenobita rugosusH. Milne-Edwards1837Indo-Pacific
Coenobita scaevola(Forskål)1775Indian Ocean, Red Sea
Coenobita spinosusH. Milne-Edwards1837Polynesia & Australia
Coenobita variabilisMcCulloch1909Australia
Coenobita violascensHeller1862Pacific Ocean

Taxonomy

Coenobita is closely related to the coconut crab, Birgus latro, with the two genera making up the family Coenobitidae. The name Coenobita was coined by Pierre André Latreille in 1829, from an Ecclesiastical Latin word, ultimately from the Greek κοινόβιον, meaning "commune"; the genus is masculine in gender.[4]

References

  1. Patsy McLaughlin (2009). Lemaitre R, McLaughlin P (eds.). "Coenobita Latreille, 1829". World Paguroidea & Lomisoidea database. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
  2. D. R. Khanna (2004). Biology of Arthropoda. Discovery Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-7141-897-8.
  3. Richard G. Hartnoll (1988). "Evolution, systematics, and geographical distribution". In Warren W. Burggren & Brian Robert McMahon (ed.). Biology of the Land Crabs. Cambridge University Press. pp. 6–54. ISBN 978-0-521-30690-4.
  4. Gary J. Morgan & L. B. Holthuis (1989). "Nomenclatural problems associated with the genus Coenobita Latreille, 1829 (Decapoda, Anomura)" (PDF). Crustaceana. 56 (2): 176–181. doi:10.1163/156854089X00068. JSTOR 20104437.
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