Hermit Crab Care Lesson 2 - the Hermit Crab is a What?

Hermit crabs are part of the crustacean family. And no it's not an organized crime family from New York City. Crustaceans are a class of animal that is characterized by their lack of a backbone. They have no vertebrae, unlike mammals. Instead, their bodies are protected by what's called a exoskeleton. In its simplest terms, the exoskeleton is nothing more than a skeleton that crustaceans have on the outside of their bodies.

And unlike our skeleton, your hermit crabs exoskeleton doesn't grow with him. When he experiences a growth spurt, he sheds

The exoskeleton though is just one trait all crustaceans share. There are several others. Each crustacean also has a head with two compound eyes. The compound eye is vastly different from the type of eye we have.

It's actually made up of many parts, each part basically "eye unto itself." Each section, called an ommatidia, is really a "separate visual receptor" containing its own lens, transparent crystalline cone, pigment cells and light-sensitive visual cells.
 
Each crustacean - hermit crabs included - also possesses three pairs of mouthparts. In scientific jargon, these are called maxillipeds. They are not, as you may be thinking part of the mouth itself.

These "mouthparts" are actually appendages whose main function it is to move the food into the crabs mouth. Now you can understand the name. Additionally, you may see your hermit crab using these appendages to groom himself.

These are just a few of the characteristics a crustacean shares with his cousins, whether he lives in "captivity" as your pet or if he's found on shore in his natural environment. Knowing this can help you understand some of the natural behavior of your crab . . . which initially may not seem so natural to you.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/hermit-crab-care-lesson-2-the-hermit-crab-is-a-what-755098.html

To learn more about hermit crab pets please visit: http://www.HermitCrabHelp.com