Maybe a member from the gulf coast can send an assortment of lightning welk
shells for you to try out.

 While they're at it, perhaps they could look at fifty or so lightning welk
shells that have been vacated by the original owners to see whether (1)
they're occupied and if so, (2) by which species of hermit crab.  Also, look
at an equal number of some common dextral shell about the same size as the
welks and look for the same things.  One might get an idea of whether the
crabs can accommodate shells with a reverse twist by whether you see the
same species as often in both shells.

The left claws of many of the Pagurus genus are teardrop shaped which is
roughly the shape of the apererature of most shells.  If the shell is
dextral, then the tip of the claw would be toward the top of the aperature
and the base would be at the bottom - a  reasonably good fit if he is trying
to block access by a predator.  If that same animal were to use a sinistral
shell, the wide and of the claw would be at the top of the aperture, the tip
of the claw at the bottom - bad fit.  Maybe that's how their claws got lost
or damaged in the first place!  This is just speculation.

  _____

From: Kay Peterson [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2005 5:38 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Is there "handedness" in Hermit Crabs?


Can Hermit crabs, Pagurus,  "change" the size of their claws---for example,
if one should be damaged or lost, would the other grow larger to compensate,
at least until the next molt?  (I think I have heard that Fiddler crabs,
Uca, do that )

I usually have a few "Pagoos" running around the bottom of my salt-water
tank, but, being in New England, I don't have any "lefty" shells small
enough for them to try out.

I would guess that it wouldn't matter very much to them---they seem to "make
do" with whatever they can fit into.

Kay