The giant hermit crab (Petrochirus diogenes) is a species of marine hermit crab. This species lives in the Caribbean Sea, and often inhabits conch shells. This species of hermit crab is large enough that it can inhabit a fully grown shell of the queen conch. It will attack and eat a conch, thus obtaining a meal and a shell. It was originally described by Carl Linnaeus as Cancer diogenes; the specific epithet honours Diogenes of Sinope.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it venomous or poisonous?
We have no record of Giant Hermit Crab being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Dardanus fucosus
- Dardanus venosus
- Dardanus arrosor
- Strigopagurus strigimanus
- Pagurus impressus
- Paguristes puncticeps
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Malacostraca
- Order
- Decapoda
- Family
- Diogenidae
- Genus
- Petrochirus
- Species
- Petrochirus diogenes
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