About Pagurus armatus (Dana, 1851)
Pagurus armatus, first described by Dana in 1851, is one of the largest hermit crab species. Adult individuals can reach a carapace length of 43 mm, which equals 1.7 inches. The legs, including the claws, feature coloured bands in red, orange, and white, and the dorsal surface of the claws is covered with short spines. This species has short eyestalks that bear large black compound eyes. Pagurus armatus can be distinguished from the closely similar species Pagurus ochotensis by the claw spines; in P. ochotensis, these spines are replaced by granules. The two species are so similar that they have sometimes been classified as members of a single species, but they are now generally recognized as two separate distinct species. Ecologically, P. armatus inhabits a variety of substrates, and is particularly abundant in sea pen beds. It can be found at depths of up to 117 m, or 384 ft.
