Table 1 Comparison of the shell utilization and preferences of the two co-occurring hermit crab species

Utilized gastropod shells

90 species (21 families)

41 species (14 families)

Cerithiid shells utilized

13.90%

32.06% (***)

Cerithiid shells selected

54.67%

56.00%

Nassariid shells utilized

28.78%

18.49%

Nassariid shells selected

64.00%

65.33%

Naticid shells utilized

14.09%

4.22% (***)

Naticid shells selected

56.00%

20.00% (***)

Strombid shells utilized

12.77%

39.52% (***)

Strombid shells selected

25.33%

58.67% (***)

Shell diversity Shannon H

3.644

3.039

Niche width B in respect to shell species

23.870

12.869