Coexistence in Hermit crabs of Vellar Estuary

201-204Coexistence in 4 species of hermit crabs, viz. Clibanarius padavensis., C. olivaceus, C.longitarsus and Diogenes avarus, occurring in large numbers in the intertidal region was studied through shell selection and habitat partitioning experiments in the laboratory. While selecting the shell,all the species, at each size group showed preference for one and the same species of empty gastropod shell. In habitat selection experiments, C. padavensis and D. avarus showed preference for sandy substrate while C. olivaceus and C. longitarsus for muddy substrate reflecting their distribution pattern in nature. An inventory of available empty gastropod shell resources and type of shells occupied by these crabs revealed that shell resources do not limit these estuarine hermit crabs population, and the mechanism allowing coexistence of these appeared to involve both habitat partitioning and sharing of the abundantly available empty gastropod shell resources