I think I'm the one who mentioned the hermit crabs that eat the columella of
the shell. I first encountered this in Costa Rica some years ago, and now
that I think of it, I believe all the hollowed-out shells were inhabited by
land hermits that lived on or near the beach. Nearly all the internal shell
material behind the aperture is gone. These included several intertidal
species of shells. I assumed it was an acid secreted by the crab that did
the work.

I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of the shells found hollowed out
were nerites, since those would be most accessible to land hermit crabs.

I have also found a couple of Orthalicus that were partly hollowed out by
hermit crabs that I found on trees in Belize.

Peggy Williams

                     Visit my website at http://www.shelltrips.com
                                  Peggy Williams
                                   Shell Elegant
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                                Tallevast FL 34270
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> From: David Kirsh <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Conchologists of America List <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2001 13:50:14 -0700
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: hermit crabs and archaeological shell
>
> I've seen Indo-Pacific hermits with the columella worn considerably and
> there was mention of this from someone else within the last year on this
> list. This would enlarge the aperture somewhat. Mechanism unknown but I
> would suspect chemical rather than mechanical action.
>
> David Kirsh
> Durham, NC