# Blueband Hermit Crab

*Pagurus samuelis*

They show a strong preference for the shells of Black Turban Snails and will aggressively contest other crabs in 'shell fights' to secure the best fit.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Malacostraca › Decapoda › Paguridae › Pagurus
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** aquatic
- **Habitat:** Rocky intertidal zones and shallow tide pools.
- **Diet:** Omnivorous scavenger feeding on microalgae, detritus, and small dead organisms.
- **Range:** Pacific Coast of North America, Alaska to Baja California
- **Size:** Carapace length up to 1.9 cm (0.75 inches)
- **Lifespan:** 2 to 3 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Ocean acidification, coastal development, water pollution, and accidental trampling by tidepool visitors.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless and safe to observe. Watch them quietly in tide pools. Avoid picking them up, as pulling them from their shells can cause fatal injuries. If gently handled and pinched, wash the minor scrape with clean water.

## About

Pagurus samuelis , the blueband hermit crab , is a species of hermit crab from the west coast of North America, and the most common hermit crab in California. It is a small species, with distinctive blue bands on its legs. It prefers to live in the shell of the black turban snail, and is a nocturnal scavenger of algae and carrion.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/ada5e900-258d-496d-9362-cdb6c37f978b
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/49095
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagurus samuelis
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/500996984/medium.jpg (Marilynne Box, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.