Dardanus megistos

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Marine Arthropods

Marine Molluscs

Marine Reptiles

Marine Microbes

Category of Organisms	Marine Arthropods
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum/Division	Arthropoda
Class	Malacostraca
Order	Decapoda
Family	Diogenidae
Genus	Dardanus
Species	megistos
Binomial Name	Dardanus megistos
Author	J.F.W Herbst, 1804
Common Name	Whitespotted hermit
Local Name
Size Range	One of the largest hermits, Up to 15cm
Environment/Habitat	Lives on intertidal sand salt. It makes an empty seashell its home
Importance/Value
Resilience
Endemic	No
Found in Marine Park	No
Found in Malaysia	Yes
Distribution
Morphology/Character	Easily identified by red-orange colour with white spots and spines outlined with black. Numerous long thick brown bristles on the dark outlines. Feeds on mollusks, breaks open shells. Members of this genus are predaceous, and will gladly consume any fishes they can get their claws on.
Biology
Miscellaneaous
Status in IUCN Red List	Unknown
Status in CITES Species Database	Unknown
Researcher(s)
Reference(s)	1. Helmut Debelius, Crustacea Guide Of The World, pubished by IKAN-Underwasserarchiv, Page: 235. 2. Prof. Dr Ong Jin Eong and Prof. Dr Gong Wooi Khoon, THE SEAS, published by Didier Millet, Page 80.
Other Link(s)	http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/crabs/hermitcrabs.htm
Collection Record