Hermit Crabs and Humans
No scientist has publicized the amount of DNA that humans share with crabs, let alone the thinstripe hermit crab. Although we may not know how close hermit crabs and humans are biologically we know how close they are physically! Hermit crabs make great pets for families if taken care of properly. With the right food, environment, and care, some domesticated types of hermit crabs can live up to 23 years. The thinstripe hermit crab is not a common household pet but lives closely among humans on the shores of Mexico and the Caribbean.
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Reproduction
The Thin strip hermit crabs reproduction occurs the same way as any other hermit crabs. Hermit crabs may not live in the water, but they live relatively close, and for a good reason, this is where they mate. The male and female hermit crabs come partially out of their shell where the male transfers his spermatophore (a protein capsule containing spermatozoa) to the female. When the spermatophore is properly implanted thousands of eggs form along the females abdomen. The females carries the eggs for about a month, outside of the water, before she goes back to release the eggs into the water. The reproductive process doesn't end when the eggs hatch, the newly hatched zoeae (larvae form) must turn into a crustacean called megalopae through metamorphosis, then find a shell and must molt for the first time before becoming a hermit crab.
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