Alan Sutton, Tansania
Info
Ciliopagurus tricolor Forest, 1995
Ciliopagurus is a genus of hermit crabs from the family Diogenidae, the left-handed hermit crabs. While the ringed sock hermit crab Ciliopagurus strigatus is well known in marine aquaristics, it is less well known that there are currently 19 scientifically described species of the genus Ciliopagurus, some of which are extremely similar, at least at first glance.
Four hermit crabs of the genus Ciliopagurus are regarded as the "Strigatus complex". They are found in the low tidal or shallow waters of the Indo-West Pacific.
The species complex includes: Ciliopagurus strigatus, Ciliopagurus tricolor, Ciliopagurus vakovako and Ciliopagurus galzini.
Ciliopagurus strigatus is characterized by striped legs and claws with alternating yellow and red transverse bands. It is often found in reef habitats and occurs from the Red Sea to French Polynesia. Ciliopagurus tricolor is known from East Africa to Reunion Island, Ciliopagurus vakovako is endemic to the Marquesas Islands and Ciliopagurus galzini was described from specimens collected from Tuamotu, French Polynesia and is endemic there).
The four species of the "strigatus complex" are morphologically very similar and can only be reliably distinguished by their coloration. All have a similar color pattern of transverse bands on the claws and walking legs, but each species can be identified by the different color and/or arrangement of these bands.
The holotype for the scientific description of Ciliopagurus tricolor comes from Madagascar.
Scientific description: The antennal and antennal peduncles are orange-red, the eyestalks are orange-red and the cornea is pale orange. The claw arms and legs have compound colored rings consisting of a white-bluish central band flanked by two bright red rings. These composite rings are set against an orange background.
The claws also have compound rings. The scissor fingers are almost uniformly pale orange, without composite colored rings. The tips of the claws are black. The carapace is white.
Also lives in the shells of cone snails (family Conidae). It has been found in shells of Conus rattus - the rat cone.
There is a strong possibility of confusion with Ciliopagurus shebae.
Ciliopagurus is a genus of hermit crabs from the family Diogenidae, the left-handed hermit crabs. While the ringed sock hermit crab Ciliopagurus strigatus is well known in marine aquaristics, it is less well known that there are currently 19 scientifically described species of the genus Ciliopagurus, some of which are extremely similar, at least at first glance.
Four hermit crabs of the genus Ciliopagurus are regarded as the "Strigatus complex". They are found in the low tidal or shallow waters of the Indo-West Pacific.
The species complex includes: Ciliopagurus strigatus, Ciliopagurus tricolor, Ciliopagurus vakovako and Ciliopagurus galzini.
Ciliopagurus strigatus is characterized by striped legs and claws with alternating yellow and red transverse bands. It is often found in reef habitats and occurs from the Red Sea to French Polynesia. Ciliopagurus tricolor is known from East Africa to Reunion Island, Ciliopagurus vakovako is endemic to the Marquesas Islands and Ciliopagurus galzini was described from specimens collected from Tuamotu, French Polynesia and is endemic there).
The four species of the "strigatus complex" are morphologically very similar and can only be reliably distinguished by their coloration. All have a similar color pattern of transverse bands on the claws and walking legs, but each species can be identified by the different color and/or arrangement of these bands.
The holotype for the scientific description of Ciliopagurus tricolor comes from Madagascar.
Scientific description: The antennal and antennal peduncles are orange-red, the eyestalks are orange-red and the cornea is pale orange. The claw arms and legs have compound colored rings consisting of a white-bluish central band flanked by two bright red rings. These composite rings are set against an orange background.
The claws also have compound rings. The scissor fingers are almost uniformly pale orange, without composite colored rings. The tips of the claws are black. The carapace is white.
Also lives in the shells of cone snails (family Conidae). It has been found in shells of Conus rattus - the rat cone.
There is a strong possibility of confusion with Ciliopagurus shebae.
