Heterochely
Guides
Coenobita clypeatus
Caribbean Land Hermit Crab, Soldier Crab, West Atlantic Crab, Tree Crab, Purple Pincher
Coenobita clypeatus is a terrestrial hermit crab native to the western Atlantic and Caribbean region. Adults inhabit coastal environments and can be found considerable distances inland, often burrowing under tree roots. The species exhibits complex social behaviors including shell fighting, vacancy chains for resource acquisition, and size-dependent dominance hierarchies. It relies on scavenged gastropod shells for protection and water retention, with shell availability directly limiting population density and individual growth.
Neotrypaea
ghost shrimp
Neotrypaea is a genus of ghost shrimp in the family Callianassidae, established by Manning & Felder in 1991. The genus contains at least 16 recognized species distributed across the Pacific coasts of North and South America and Asia. Species within this genus are characterized by pronounced sexual dimorphism in claw morphology, particularly the development of enlarged master claws in males. They are obligate burrowers in marine and estuarine sediments, where they function as ecosystem engineers through their bioturbation activities.