Caribbean hermit crab Caribbean hermit crab The Caribbean hermit crab, Coenobita clypeatus, also known as the soldier crab, the West Atlantic crab, the tree crab, and the purple pincher (due to the distinctive purple claw), is a species of land hermit crab native to the west Atlantic, Bahamas, Belize, southern Florida, Venezuela, the Virgin Islands, and the West Indies. Adults burrow and hide under the roots of large trees, and can be found a considerable distance inland. As with other terrestrial crabs, they utilize modified gills to breathe air. Their shell helps maintain the humidity necessary for gas exchange to function. Caribbean hermit
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.