GILCHRIST, S.L.; New College of Florida: Hermit crab distributions in the backreef of Cayos Cochinos Grande (Bay Islands, Honduras)

Cochinos Grande is one of two forested islands in the archipelago that is part of the Mesoamerican Caribbean Reef system. The backreef area of the western side of the island differs greatly from the same type of area on nearby Bailey�s Cay (Roatan). The western bay of Cochinos has a longer distance between the reef crest and the shoreline and has only patches, rather than zones, of seagrass. The rubble area contains both coral and pebbles while the intertidal and beach areas are pebble and sand. The Cochinos backreef shows recovery and regrowth of corals from the effects of Mitch while Bailey�s Cay has continued to decline; each area has distinctly different anthropogenic impacts. The suite of hermit crabs in each area as well as the shells commonly collected differ. On Bailey�s Cay, nerites are the most commonly used shells while at Cochinos ceriths (Cerithium litteratum) are used more often. The predominant species in the Cochinos backreef is Clibanarius tricolor and for Bailey�s Cay a suite of three species: Calcinus tibicen, Clibanarius albidigitus, and Paguristes cadenati are found in nearly equal numbers. Octopuses (Octopus vulgaris) and box crabs (Calappa flammea) are common predators in both areas.