Striped Hermit Crab
Clibanarius vittatus
Markings and exact colorations may vary.
A shell you pick up that suddenly walks away — Florida's most common shoreline hermit crab.
- Typical size
- 0.5–2 in
- How often it turns up
- Very common
- Collecting
- Protected, do not collect
- Handling
- May be alive
Never take an occupied shell. Hermit crabs die without a home, and empty shells are already in short supply.
How to tell it apart
- Striped legs with green and cream lines
- Both claws roughly equal in size
- Lives in whelk, cerith and moon snail shells
Where to find these in Florida
Beaches rated very good or excellent for tidepool life. Each page shows today’s score, the best window and access details.
- Bathtub Reef Beach · Stuart
- Anne's Beach · Islamorada
- Bahia Honda State Park · Big Pine Key
- Bathtub Beach · Stuart
- Caspersen Beach · Venice
- Curry Hammock State Park · Marathon
- Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park · Key West
- Harry Harris Park · Tavernier
- Higgs Beach · Key West
- John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park · Key Largo
- Long Key State Park · Long Key
- Marineland Beach · Marineland
Found one?
Photograph it and BeachNut ranks the likely matches with a confidence read, then logs it to your collection with the beach and date.
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More tidepool life in the field guide
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