Aniculus maximus, the hairy yellow hermit crab or large hairy hermit crab, is an aquatic hermit crab of the family Diogenidae.

Aniculus maximus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Anomura
Family: Diogenidae
Genus: Aniculus
Species:
A. maximus
Binomial name
Aniculus maximus
Edmondson, 1952[1]

Description

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Their colour ranges from intense red to golden yellow. They have yellow hairy legs. Their shield is marked with a series of furrows.[2]

Diet

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They are omnivores eating both algae and fishes. They may opportunistically prey on helpless organisms.

Distribution

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They are found in the Indo-Pacific region.[3]

Use in aquariums

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They may be used as aquarium cleaning crabs and may be used to check algae growth, but they may attack tank mates and reefs.

References

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  1. ^ Patsy McLaughlin (2013). Lemaitre R, McLaughlin P (eds.). "Aniculus maximus Edmondson, 1952". World Paguroidea & Lomisoidea database. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
  2. ^ Patsy A. McLaughlin & John P. Hoover (1996). "A new species of Aniculus Dana (Decapoda: Anomura: Diogenidae) from Hawaii". Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 109 (2): 299–305.
  3. ^ Tin-Yam Chan. "Aniculus maximus Edmondson, 1952". BiotaTaiwanica. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
  • Edmondson, C.H. (1952). Additional Central Pacific crustaceans. Occasional Papers of the Bernice P.Bishop Museum. 21: 67-86.
  • Reay, P.J. & J. Haig (1990). Coastal hermit crabs (Decapoda: Anomura) from Kenya, with a review and key to East African species. Bulletin of Marine Science 46(3): 578-589
  • Liu, J.Y. [Ruiyu] (ed.). (2008). Checklist of marine biota of China seas. China Science Press. 1267 pp.
  • McLaughlin, P. A., Komai, T., Lemaitre, R. & Rahayu, D.L. (2010). Annotated checklist of anomuran decapod crustaceans of the world (exclusive of the Kiwaoidea and families Chirostylidae and Galatheidae of the Galatheoidea. Part I — Lithodoidea, Lomisoidea and Paguroidea. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. Supplement 23: 5–107