Its northern limit was at one time thought to be Swansea in South Wales, but it has since been found as far north as Anglesey, and the coasts of southwestern Ireland.

[5][6] This is a small hermit crab which tends to occupy shells of the netted dog whelk Tritia reticulata.

These crabs are often present on flattish beaches composed of medium to fine grained sand where the waves sweep up the shore.

[2] Near Cádiz in southern Spain, there are three species of hermit crab, D. pugilator, Paguristes eremita and Pagurus forbesii.

D. pugilator instead uses the less common Tritia reticulata, even when the crab's carapace is so large that it overlaps the shell's aperture.