الفهرس 
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Abstract
This work w a s prolonged in the period between August 1984 and July 1985. Hermit crabs were morphologically and ecologically studied in an attempt to reveal the most i n t e r e s t i n g information about these animals. However, t h i s study was divided i n t o two main parts: 1. The i n i t i a l part of the work concerned with the ideniiification of common hermit crabs. Fifteen species were c o l l e c t e d from Al-Ghardaqa (~edSe a Coasts of Egypt) coasts, Fowteen species belong t o the family Diogenidae, namely: Clibanarius inf raspinatus; Czibana
r i u s achaeta; Clibanarius signatus; Clibanarius eurysternus aegypticus; Clibanaius lineat us; Clibanar ius carnif ex: Clibanaxius l-o ngitarsis: Cl ibana r ius daharensis; Clibanarius anomalus: Calcinus gaimardif Calcinus randallit Calcinus - gaimardi aegyptfcus; Calcinus nitidus and Calcinus t e r r a e reginae. The other species, Coenobita scaevola belongs t o the family Coenobitidae. The taxonomic characters of these species are reviewed. Also, akey is suggested Tor t h e i r i d e n t i f i c a t i o n . The conffguration of the end of the antennular f l a g e l l a and the length of the antennular peduncles a r e very important f o r the separation between fanlily Diogenidae and family Coenobitidae, where in family Diogenidae the antennular f l a g e l l a end in a filament; the antennular peduncles r a r e l y approach the carapace l e n g t h , but in family Coenobitidae the antennular f l a g e l l a end abruptly and bluntly, the antennular peduncles are nearly as long as, or even longer than the carapace. Genus Clibanarius and genus Calcinus are belongkg t o the family Diogenidae, in genus Clibanarius, f i n g e r s of chelipeds opening and closing horizontally, where in genus Cucinus, f i n g e r s of c heliped s opening and closftvlg obliquely or n e a r l y v e r t i c a l l y . Genus Coenobita belonging t o the f amily CenobitZdae, then i d e n t i f i e d by long atennular peduncles md i t s antennular f l a g e l l a end abruptly and bluntly. The r e l a t - ionship between the length of %he ocular peduncles and the anterior border of the carapace, t h e r e l a t i o n - ship between length of the dactylus and t h a t of the propodus of the t h i r d l e f t pereiopods, colour, setae, the confi.guration of the ocular a c i c l e s add antenna1 acicles, and the relationship between t h e l e n g t h of the antenna1 f l a g e l l a and the length of the carapace, are the most taxonomic characters of the species of the same genus. 11. The second p a r t of the work h a s centered on the ecol o g i c a l s t u d i e s of the Egyptial~ ( Al-Ghardaqa) hernit crabs. The d i s t r i b u t i o n of hermit crab s p e c i e s mere v a r i a b l e , t h e rocky shores and t i d e pools r e p r e s e n t an e c o l o g i c a l l y s u i t a b l e siJc;e f o r .the welfare of’ the hermit crabs. In t h e rocky shore biotopes, the r e l a - t i v e nmber of genus Clibanmius is markely g r e a t e r than t h a t of genus Calcinus. In the t i d e pools bioptopes, t h e r e l a t i v e number of genus Calcinus is narkely g r e a t e r than t h a t of genus Clibanarius. The t o t a l number of members of the genus Calcinus increased from winter t o spring, reaching its maximum in sunmer. Considering genus Clibanarius the peak of abundance was observed in Autumn, The specimen of renus Coenobita c o l l e c t e d only i n winter.