Since Cortez changed his shell I’ve had to look a lot closer to tell him from Calypso as you can see in these cute “twin” images. The image below is the newcomer: Cortez.
Now take a look below at Calypso. This pic as taken just a couple of days before the one of Cortez above.
Calypso is clearly bigger in the pic below—but that won’t last long as Cortez grows into his new shell.
Cortez is smaller, though the shell is about the same and he should rapidly grow into it. Calypso’s shell has more coralline algae on it and Cortez’s shell looks newer, but is actually sort of dinged-up with white rough patches on the back where the outer layer of the shell has been chipped off. Though I’ve ID’d Cortez and Calypso correctly from looking at their faces, legs and front of shell, once Cortez grows just a bit more I may have to get a look at their back to be certain who I’m looking at. Unless, of course, Cortez or Calypso change shells. This is doubtful for Calypso; he changed into that shell right after I got him when is was tiny and has been in the same shell throughout numerous molts for about a year and a half now.
The pic of Cortez was taken late last night. While he was on the barnacle Calypso was climbing all over Cali on the back top of the Tonga rock. Since she didn’t seem to mind him poking her with his feet and feelers, I left them alone. They do interact in ways I don’t understand sometimes. So far, both have ignored Cortez, even when he backed into Cali and they remained in close proximity for quite a while.
