Distribution pattern and seasonal and spatial abundance of hermit crabs (Crustacean: Paguroidea) in the intertidal zones of Hormuz Island

This study was conducted to survey distribution pattern and seasonal and spatial abundance of hermit crabs in six stations located in the intertidal zones of Hormuz Island. Sampling was conducted during four seasons. Hermit crabs were fixed in 70% ethanol and were transported to the laboratory. With valid identification key, nine species in two families of hermit crabs were identified. SPSS, PAST, TAL (4.2) and R software were used for statistical analyses. ANOVA test using LSD showed that the abundance of identified species were significantly different among some of the stations (P