Hermit crabs are one among the least studied group of the animal kingdom. The diversity of hermit crabs of entire Odisha coast was studied for the first time. Collected primary data and secondary data were compiled to prepare an updated checklist of hermit crabs of Indian coast. A total of seven species of hermit crabs were recorded during the field surveys along Odisha coast. The compilation of secondary data with present primary data revealed occurrence of 114 species of hermit crabs belonging to 27 genera and six families along the Indian coast. Diogenidae was identified as the dominant family. The diversity of hermit crabs is high in the west coast (73 species) as compared to the east coast (65 species). Maximum species diversity is recorded in Tamil Nadu (53 species), Kerala (50 species) and in Andaman & Nicobar Islands (46 species). Twenty threes species of hermit crabs inhabit the coastal ecosystems of Odisha. The present study also reports the occurrence of Clibanarius infraspinatus for the first time from Odisha thus, extending its distributional range along the Indian coast. Among the reported 114 species, only 61 species are included in GBIF with Indian distribution whereas occurrence data is not available for 11 species and 42 species are not likely distributed along Indian coast. The findings of the present study support the occurrence of 61 species (included in Global Biodiversity Information Facility) along the Indian coast and suggest that the occurrence and distribution of remaining 53 species can be confirmed after conducting extensive field surveys.

中文翻译：

---

东海岸奥里萨邦寄居蟹的生物多样性及其在印度其他沿海邦的分布

寄居蟹是动物界研究最少的群体之一。首次研究了整个奥里萨邦海岸寄居蟹的多样性。收集的主要数据和次要数据经过汇编，以准备一份更新的印度海岸寄居蟹清单。在奥里萨邦海岸的实地调查期间，共记录了七种寄居蟹。二手数据与现有原始数据的汇编显示，印度海岸有 114 种寄居蟹，属于 27 个属和 6 个科。Diogenidae 被确定为优势科。与东海岸（65 种）相比，西海岸（73 种）寄居蟹的多样性较高。最大的物种多样性记录在泰米尔纳德邦（53 种）、喀拉拉邦（50 种）和安达曼和尼科巴群岛（46 种）。二十三种寄居蟹栖息在奥里萨邦的沿海生态系统中。本研究还报告了Clibanarius infraspinatus首次来自奥里萨邦，从而扩展了其沿印度海岸的分布范围。在报告的 114 种中，只有 61 种被包含在 GBIF 中，分布在印度，而 11 种没有发生数据，42 种不太可能沿印度海岸分布。本研究的结果支持印度沿海 61 种物种（包括在全球生物多样性信息设施中）的出现，并表明在进行广泛的实地调查后可以确认剩余 53 种物种的发生和分布。