Presentation Details
Shelter Color Preference in Hermit Crabs

Majesta L Vos, Paige Mahler, Megan Bakke, Alexander D Berry.

Buena Vista University, Storm Lake, Iowa, USA

Abstract


Hermit crabs rely on shelters for protection from their environment and predators. They live in hard shells due to their soft exoskeleton and switch to new shells as they grow, leaving them vulnerable to predators. When choosing a new shell, they choose one that best matches their environment. This study applies this concept to shelters they choose to hide under, investigating whether hermit crabs show color preferences when selecting shelters. For this experiment, twelve hermit crabs, Coenobita clypeatus, were placed in a tank containing sand, a water dish, and food. Two shelters of different colors were placed in the tank for three days at a time. Researchers recorded the number of crabs under each shelter color every two hours, four times each day. Once all shelter colors were tested, the favorites were tested against each other to determine the crab’s preferred color. Crabs showed a definite preference for shelters that were blue. This suggests that color may influence shelter selection. These results reveal more about crab sheltering behavior, as well as whether crabs display color differentiation and preference.
 

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