hermit crab
noun1
A decapod crustacean (not a true crab) from the superfamily Paguroidea, which salvages empty seashells or other portable objects to permanently shelter and protect its soft abdomen.
- In the U.S., Akers would like to see all hermit crabs legally reclassified as exotic pets, like an alligator or an ocelot, so their sale and ownership could be regulated. To her, every crab’s life is precious.2025 August 19, Melissa Scott Sinclair, “Consider the Hermit Crab”, in Slate:
- Derived terms
- giant hermit crab, thinstripe hermit crab