How do Hermit Crabs Breathe Air on Land?

How do land hermit crabs breathe?

How do hermit crabs breathe air on land? Their marine cousins breathe water in the ocean, so how do land (terrestrial) hermit crabs breathe air on land?

Land hermit crabs have a similar gill system to their aquatic relatives, but it was developed over time to breathe air.

Land hermit crabs have a “modified gill system”, which is called pseudotracheae. This breathing system is located in the crab’s moist body cavity and protected by their hard shell. This gill system extracts oxygen from the air.

Land Hermit Crab Gill Systems Need to Remain Moist

The gill system of land hermit crabs needs to remain moist, the reason for the need for some humidity in their habitat. It’s also why their water dishes need to be deep enough for them to submerge their bodies in the water.

Hermit crabs store water inside their shell, which helps keep their soft bodies and gill system moist, inside their shell.

The amount of humidity (moisture in the air) that a hermit crab needs, depends on the type of hermit crab. Some hermit crabs like the Purple Pincher, have more evolved gill systems than others.

There are some hermit crab species that will die without a very high level of humidity. It’s important to remember that there are different types of hermit crabs throughout the world, and each type will have different needs.

Make sure to understand the type of hermit crabs you have, so you can provide the proper elements and parameters for that type, specifically. See my blog post for more information on types of hermit crabs with photos, here.