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
Hermit (hummingbird) very decurved bills. Many species, including the rufous-breasted hermit, also use the heliconias for nesting, attaching their conical nest to the underside of one of the plant's broad leaves. The taxonomy of some groups has changed significantly in recent years. Apart from those issues discussed at "Phaethornis", a taxonomic problem occurs with the "Threnetes leucurus"/"T. niger" complex. Schuchmann & Hinkelmann (1999) considered the sooty barbthroat a melanistic variant of the "T. leucurus", but as it was described first, its scientific name was adopted for the entire species; pale-tailed barbthroat ("T. niger"). This, however, has not been accepted by all authorities,