SOLITARY ISLANDS
UNDERWATER
RESEARCH GROUP, INC.

Species Index

Dardanus megistos
(Herbst, 1804)

Distribution: Possibly common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region. In Australia recorded from North West Shelf region of Western Australia, the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland south to northern New South Wales, and including Lord Howe Island.

Ecological Notes: Frequent shallow rocky and coral reef areas, lagoon bottoms. Depth from 1 – 100 m.

Additional Notes: Bright red colouration, dense dark hairs on claws and legs. Ocular peduncle red, chelipeds and legs red with white spots ringed with black. Carapace length to 20 mm, total length to 200 mm.

References: Poupin J. and M. Juncker, 2010 – A guide to the decapod crustaceans of the South Pacific. Published by CRISP and SPC, Noumea, New Caledonia, 320 pp., 366 photographs. Pp.232-3.

Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=dardanus+megistos. Accessed 13/11/2018.