DSC_4447 Snapping shrimp (Alpheus socialis) male. Lives in estuaries and mangrove swamps, and has elaborate self-made burrows up to 30 cm deep. Nelson Marina *
P_3170397 NZ hermit crab, or kaunga waerau (Pagurus novizealandiae) distinguished by its smooth antennae, and the large blue-beaded, right-handed chelicera. It's hooked abdomen is designed to fit inside an empty shell, as a temporary home. Common in the intertidal zone. Pakiri Beach *
DSC_2674 NZ hermit crab, or kaunga waerau (Pagurus novizealandiae) distinguished by its smooth antennae, and the large blue-beaded, right-handed chelicera. It's hooked abdomen is designed to fit inside an empty shell, as a temporary home. Common in the intertidal zone. Quarantine Point, Otago Harbour