The common hermit crab is found throughout northwest Europe and is a common sight in tidepools around the British Isles, seen as far south as the Azores. They can be found in a variety of habitats from seagrass meadows to wrecks, reefs and kelp forests.
Typically in crabs, their tail and abdomen has adapted to tuck neatly under their carapace, but hermit crabs have evolved to use the shells of dead dog whelks and other gastropods (snails) to protect their vulnerable tail end. Because of this, as they grow they have to effectively move house into a larger shell as they outgrow the old one.
