This species has only relatively recently made a comeback to the UK after disappearing from our shore in the late 1980s. St Piran’s will often use a variety of empty sea snail shells to make their home, including flat periwinkle, dog whelk and sting winkle. They are much shyer than the common hermit crab and will often hunker down inside their shell until all danger has disappeared.
How to identify
Red eye stalks with striking black and white eyes. Claws are equally sized, unlike other hermit crabs, with black tips. Claws and legs have blotches of red and electric blue.
Distribution
Warm water species, currently only recorded on the south west coast of England, more common further south and in Europe.
Did you know?
In 2016, BBC Springwatch ran a competition to give this species a common name, with the chosen winning name being ‘St Piran’ - the Patron Saint of Cornwall, who was a hermit and who survived being thrown into the sea!
