{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "hermit-crab",
  "name": "Hermit Crab",
  "scientificName": "Paguroidea",
  "category": "Invertebrate",
  "summary": "Hermit crabs are crustaceans that protect their soft, spiraled abdomens by living inside empty snail shells. As they grow, they leave their old shell and move into a larger one, sometimes lining up to swap shells in sequence. Found on shorelines and seabeds worldwide, many species live 10 to 30 years, and they are popular, low-cost pets.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Arthropoda",
    "class": "Malacostraca",
    "order": "Decapoda",
    "family": "Paguridae",
    "genus": null
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.1,
    "lengthM": 0.1,
    "topSpeedKmh": 0.5,
    "lifespanYears": 30
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Paguroidea (superfamily)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Omnivore (algae, plankton, scraps, carrion)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Shorelines, tide pools, and seabeds worldwide"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "10–30 years (varies by species)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Size",
      "value": "From a few millimeters to 30 cm (coconut crab)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Slow walkers; faster when alarmed"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN, most species)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Shorelines, tide pools, and seabeds of warm and temperate oceans worldwide.",
    "continents": [
      "Oceans"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Paguroidea.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Paguroidea&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Hermit Crab.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermit_crab"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/hermit-crab/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/hermit-crab/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}