Pattern of shell utilization in the hermit crab Clibanarius zebra (Dana, 1852) along the Saurashtra coast, Gujarat, India

This study focuses on evaluating the pattern of shell utilization by the hermit crab Clibanarius zebra collected from the intertidal zone of four different sites along the Saurashtra coast, Gujarat, India. Specimens were collected monthly from March 2012 to August 2013 during low tide; hermit crab weight (HW) and their shield length (SL) were measured. Gastropod shells were identified and different morphological variables were recorded [dry weight (DW), shell length (SHL), shell aperture length, and shell aperture width]. A total of 804 hermit crabs occupying 23 gastropod species were collected. Cerithium scabridum (41.8%) was the shell most occupied by the crabs followed by Turbo intercostalis (10.6%), Astrea stellata (7.8%), Lunella coronata (6.6%), and Chicoreus brunneus (5.6%). Significant difference was obtained in the percentage of shell occupation between sexes. Regression analysis showed a high correlation between the different morphological variables of hermit crabs and gastropod shells; the highest values of correlation were obtained between HW and DW. The high values of correlation coefficient and regression models between the different morphological variables of hermit crabs and gastropod shells suggest that shell architecture has a huge impact on shell utilization pattern of C. zebra.