Crustaceans of Zihuatanejo

SUBPHYLUM CRUSTACEA

-Typical Crustaceans (Superclass Multicrustacea)

-Malacostracans (Class Malacostraca)

-Decapods, Isopods, and Allies (Subclass Eumalacostraca)

-Decapods and Krill (Superorder Eucarida)

-Decapods (Order Decapoda)

-Crabs, Lobsters, Shrimps, and Allies (Suborder Pleocyemata)

-Anomurans (Infraorder Anomura)

-Hermit Crabs (Superfamily Paguroidea)

-Left-handed Hermit Crabs (Family Diogenidae)

-Genus Calcinus

-Red-leg Hermit Crab (Calcinus californiensis)

The Red-leg Hermit Crab (Calcinus californiensis) has bright scarlet red legs. The two claws are dark greenish-grey with red seams along each joint and around the claws. The eye stalks are also dark greenish-grey with white rims around the edge if its black eyes. The Red-leg Hermit Crabs are found in groups in the low intertidal and shallow sub-tidal zones over rock and coral structures at depths up to 20 feet from the central Sea of Cortez south to Acapulco along the coast of the Mexican mainland.