Same here.  I never thought to look nor to note the species of shell they inhabit nor the handedness.  I may have an opportunity to do that here this summer, if I remember to create a bench/field sheet that includes fields for shell species, handedness, hermit species.  Sometimes it is difficult to identify the small individuals, though.

-----Original Message-----
From: Doug Stemke [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, March 28, 2005 6:28 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Is there "handedness" in Hermit Crabs?

This is an observation I should have made when I was living in Texas where left-handed Busycon perversum were common.  Hermit crabs inhabit both Dextral and Sinistral shells.  I was wondering however if individual hermit crabs have a preference for the "handedness" of their shells.  Will a hermit crab in a sinistral Busycon redidly switch to a dextral shell (or vise versa)?  Are there any species of hermit crabs specific to one handedness?

Just wondering.  Thanks.

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