Shell selection by the land hermit crab <i>Coenobita cavipes</i> Stimpson

Abstract

<i>C. cavipes</i> is found to occupy 16 species of gastropod shells. The crabs have been divided into 6 size groups based on the carapace length and the frequency of occupation of different gastropod shells by each group, is calculated. Higher incidence of occupation reflects both preference and abundance of the shells in nature. Body volume/shell volume and carapace length/shell width indices, indicate the development of evaluation stimuli for shell selection for this crab. Role of shell volume adequacy on the agnostic behaviour of this hermit crab is discussed.