The Answer for the May 4 Mystery is……

If you guessed Hermit Crab you are correct!

Did you know:

Most species have long, spirally curved abdomens, which are soft, unlike the hard, calcified abdomens seen in related crustaceans.

Most frequently, hermit crabs use the shells of sea snails

The tip of the hermit crab’s abdomen is adapted to clasp strongly onto the columella of the snail shell.

The columella (meaning “little column”) is a central anatomical feature of a coiled snail shell.

Most hermit crabs are nocturnal.

They breathe through gills but they don’t have to be in water. Most can survive for a short period of time out of water as long as their gills are damp. 

As Hermit Crabs grow, they must abandon their shell and look for a larger shell to fit their growing body. If the shell they find is too big the Hermit Crab will wait near the new shell, but if another Hermit Crab comes along and fits the shell that he was waiting for, the waiting Hermit Crab will take the shell from the other crab when the shell is abandoned for the new shell.

Hermit crabs need lots of friends! They thrive in large colonies, where they often sleep piled up together. They enjoy climbing, foraging, and exploring, and they even collaborate in teams to find food.

Hermit crabs can live for more than 30 years in their natural habitats.