Ecuadorian hermit crab Ecuadorian hermit crab The Ecuadorian hermit crab (Coenobita compressus) also known as the Pacific hermit crab is a species of land hermit crab. It is one of the two land hermit crabs commonly sold in North America as a pet, the other being the Caribbean hermit crab ("Coenobita clypeatus"). "Coenobita compressus" is a member of the phylum Arthropoda and the class Malacostraca. They can be up to in length and are thought to be one of the smallest species of land hermit crabs. They have four walking legs, a small pincer, a large pincer, and antennae. Many people who keep
White-browed hermit the very similar Reddish Hermit ("Phaethornis ruber") which generally occurs at lower elevations, and identification criteria between the two species is still not well known. White-browed Hermit may be slightly paler with more bronze coloration in the tail. The range extends along the base of the Andes from central Peru south to central Bolivia, in an elevational band from 350 m to 1400 m. The species is generally encountered most often within forest interior, although individuals occasionally forage along forest edge. Like most hummingbirds, it feeds mostly on nectar from a variety of flowers, but also consumes some small insects.