New Records of Hermit Crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Paguroidae) from the Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago in India

AbstractThe current work presents hermit crab species inhabiting the intertidal and shallow subtidal region on the coast of south Andaman Islands, along with an updated checklist of hermit crabs from Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI) and an identification key for surveyed hermit crabs. Five species of hermit crabs representing two families (Coenobitidae and Diogenidae) under the superfamily Paguroidea were recorded in the intertidal and shallow subtidal regions of the south Andaman Islands. Among the five species, one species of the genusCoenobita, one species of the genusCalcinus, two species of the genusClibanariusand one species of the genusDardanusare reported for the first time from the intertidal habitats of the Andaman Islands. Live coloration and description of several species are described for the first time from this region.