Pagurus curacaoensis is a gorgeous little hermit crab that lives in very deep water, a live specimen of which has recently been collected by the Curacao Aquarium submersible responsible for all those awesome deepwater reef fish from Curacao. With red and white-striped legs and claws, Pagurus curacaoensis could easily be described as a candy-cane or peppermint colored character.

Apart from its lively coloration, another thing that makes Pagurus curacaoensis unique is that it belongs to Pagurids, a group of hermit crabs which prefers the shells of Scaphopod, which are a seldom seen group of marine molluscs that are like snails, but with a straight shell instead of a spiraled one. This particular peppermint Pagurus is one of the only specimens ever seen alive and it’s a real treat to imagine how cute this little guy would be crawling around a colder aquarium with red and white carapace and a shell in the shape of a dunce cap. [Coral Reef Photos]