About Pagurus sinuatus (Stimpson, 1858)
Pagurus sinuatus is a large species of hermit crab that typically lives in rounded gastropod shells. Within Australia, it can be distinguished from other hermit crab species by its solid, hairy chelipeds, the claw-bearing appendages. There may be additional undescribed species within the geographic range this species is currently recorded to occupy. The body of Pagurus sinuatus is orange and red, with patches of red or violet color. Its pereiopods, or walking legs, are banded. This species reaches a maximum shield length, which is defined as the distance from the rostrum to the cervical groove on the carapace, of 14.5 millimeters (0.57 inches). Pagurus sinuatus occurs in the intertidal zone along the coasts of the Australian states of New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia, as well as in New Zealand's Kermadec Islands.
