Cardisoma carnifex (Crustacea, Brachyura): where have all the babies gone?

Young Cardisoma carnifex were found living within burrows of conspecific adults, in diverticula starting from the main branch of the burrow. Their gill chamber structure is much less adapted for air-breathing than that of the adult. The young spend at least three years in this environment, probably feeding on leaves remaining from the adult meals. Nothing is known about when they start to dig their own burrows or how they avoid being cannibalised within the adult burrows.