The Australian land hermit crab (Coenobita variabilis) is one of two terrestrial hermit crab species native to Australia and is found in northern parts of Australia including northern Western Australia, Northern Territory and northern Queensland. The other terrestrial species is the strawberry land hermit crab (C. perlatus) which is reportedly restricted to the islands and coral cays of the Great Barrier Reef, north-eastern Australia.
Biology
The Australian land hermit crab (Coenobita variabilis) ranges in size between a pea and a tennis ball. They closely resemble the Pacific hermit crab (Coenobita compressus) in appearance and they both have a shortened aquatic development stage. They are light brown to pale brown in color. They have two dark ovals on the front of the head. Their eyestalks are long and are the same color as the body. Each claw has a dark stripe vertical stripe. They have dark brown granuals all over the legs. The abdomen is short and fat.
Seashell preference
The preferred seashells of C. variabilis include Babylonia, Nerita, Phasianella, Thais, Tonna and Turban seashells. They are also found to be fond of several varieties of land snailshells such as Aratan snail and rice snail.
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