As invalidly proposed by Gistl in 1848, Coenobita refers to the moth genus Ectropis

Ectropis

Ectropis is a genus in the geometer moth family . They are mostly paleotropical, but also plentiful in Australia and extend into Asia. Only one species – or cryptic species complex – is found in Europe...

.

The genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 Coenobita contains the sixteen species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of terrestrial

Terrestrial animal

Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land , as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water , or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats...

 hermit crab

Hermit crab

Hermit crabs are decapod crustaceans of the superfamily Paguroidea. Most of the 1100 species possess an asymmetrical abdomen which is concealed in an empty gastropod shell that is carried around by the hermit crab.-Description:...

s. The majority of the species are found in the Indo-Pacific

Indo-Pacific

The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region of the Earth's seas, comprising the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the seas connecting the two in the general area of Indonesia...

 region, with only one species in West Africa

West Africa

West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...

, one species occurring along the western Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...

, and one species occurring on the Pacific

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...

 coast of the Americas. Coenobita is closely related to the coconut crab, Birgus latro, with the two genera making up the whole of the family Coenobitidae

Coenobitidae

Coenobitidae are a family of hermit crabs, widely known for their terrestrial habits. There are 17 species in two genera:*Coenobita Latreille, 1829*Coenobita brevimanus Dana, 1852*Coenobita carnescens Dana, 1851...

. Coenobita species carry water in the gastropod shell

Gastropod shell

The gastropod shell is a shell which is part of the body of a gastropod or snail, one kind of mollusc. The gastropod shell is an external skeleton or exoskeleton, which serves not only for muscle attachment, but also for protection from predators and from mechanical damage...

s they inhabit, allowing them to stay out of water for a long time.

Species	Authority	Year	Distribution
Coenobita brevimanus Coenobita brevimanus Coenobita brevimanus is a species of land hermit crab native to the east coast of Africa and the south west Pacific Ocean. Adults of this species can be larger than any other species from the genus Coenobita, weighing up to ....	Dana	1852	Indo-Pacific
Coenobita carnescens	Dana	1851	Pacific Ocean
Coenobita cavipes Coenobita cavipes Coenobita cavipes is a species of land hermit crab native to the eastern parts of Africa, the Philippines, China, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Polynesia, and Micronesia....	Stimpson	1858	Indo-Pacific
Coenobita clypeatus Caribbean hermit crab The Caribbean hermit crab, Coenobita clypeatus, also known as the soldier crab, the West Atlantic crab, the tree crab, and the purple pincher , is a species of land hermit crab native to the west Atlantic, Bahamas, Belize, southern Florida, Venezuela, the Virgin Islands, and the West Indies...		1787	Western Atlantic
Coenobita compressus Ecuadorian hermit crab The Ecuadorian hermit crab also known as the Pacific hermit crab is a species of land hermit crab. It is one of the two land hermit crabs commonly sold in North America, including the United States, as a pet, the other being the Caribbean hermit crab .- Features and identification :Coenobita...		1836	Eastern Pacific
Coenobita longitarsis	De Man	1902	East Indies
Coenobita olivieri	Owen	1839	Red Sea?
Coenobita perlatus Strawberry land hermit crab Coenobita perlatus, is a species of terrestrial hermit crab. It is known as the strawberry hermit crab because of its reddish orange colours. It is a widespread scavenger across the Indo-Pacific, and is also traded to hobby aquarists.-Description:...		1837	Indo-Pacific
Coenobita pseudorugosus	Nakasone	1988	Indo-Pacific
Coenobita purpureus	Stimpson	1858	Japan
Coenobita rubescens	Greeff	1884	West Africa
Coenobita rugosus Coenobita rugosus Coenobita rugosus is a species of land hermit crab native to Australia and the east African coast to the south west Pacific.C. rugosus has four walking legs, a small pincer, a large pincer, and antennae. When threatened C. rugosus is able to make a 'chirping' sound by rubbing its large pincer...		1837	Indo-Pacific
Coenobita scaevola		1775	Indian Ocean
Coenobita spinosus		1837	Polynesia & Australia
Coenobita variabilis Australian land hermit crab The Australian land hermit crab is a terrestrial hermit crab species, native to Australia. It is a nocturnal, omnivorous crustacean...	McCulloch	1909	Australia
Coenobita violascens Coenobita violascens Coenobita violascens is a species of land hermit crab native to the Nicobar Islands, Thailand, Philippines, Japan and Tanzania....	Heller	1862	Pacific Ocean