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Local name
Rak samac
English name
Red hermit crab
Scientific name
Dardanus calidus
Did you know?
Dardanus calidus is a relatively large hermit crab, recognizable by its strong, asymmetrical claws and distinctly hairy legs. Its body is partially soft, so it uses empty gastropod shells for protection. Colouration varies from reddish-brown to dark orange, often with lighter or darker bands. It can reach a size of 10–12 cm (including the shell), making it one of the larger hermit crab species in the Adriatic Sea. It inhabits sandy and rocky bottoms, often near rocks and seagrass meadows, from shallow waters down to depths of about 50 m, and is more active during dusk and night. It is generally a peaceful but opportunistic species, although it may show aggression towards smaller hermit crabs and periodically changes shells as it grows. In aquariums, Dardanus calidus is an omnivorous bottom-feeder that feeds on pieces of fish and molluscs, shrimps, mysids, and other small marine organisms, as well as food leftovers, thereby contributing to the removal of organic matter; it readily accepts food and adapts well to available food sources.