Stareye hermit (Dardanus venosus)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Arthropoda · Class: Malacostraca · Order: Decapoda · Family: Diogenidae · Genus: Dardanus.

Accepted name: Dardanus venosus · Authority: (H. Milne Edwards, 1848) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 367596.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Dardanus arrosor divergens (Moreira, 1905); Pagurus arrosor var. divergens Moreira, 1905; Pagurus venosus H. Milne Edwards, 1848.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=367596 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (SeaLifeBase)

Measured values published by SeaLifeBase for Dardanus venosus. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Depth range: 18–225 m · Habitat zone: benthic.

Source: SeaLifeBase species summary (SpecCode 26713) — https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Dardanus-venosus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

328 georeferenced occurrence records for Dardanus venosus are published through GBIF from 27 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 101 distinct locations from a sample of 328 records, omitting 20 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.

Most records by country or area: Guadeloupe (84); United States of America (83); Brazil (43); Mexico (17); Cayman Islands (14); Cuba (10); Belize (9); Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (8); Bermuda (7); Martinique (7); Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (7); Saint Martin (French part) (6); Bahamas (4); Colombia (4); Honduras (4).

Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: Gulf of Mexico; Martinican Exclusive Economic Zone; Bonaire Exclusive Economic Zone; Curaçaoan Exclusive Economic Zone; Saint Thomas; Lesser Antilles; Estado Nueva Esparta; Los Roques, Islas; Saint Martin; Guadeloupean Exclusive Economic Zone; Statia; Saint John; Barbados Exclusive Economic Zone; Saba Island.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2224418) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2224418&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=367596 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Dardanus venosus grows to a length of 7 to 12 cm. As a hermit crab, it lives inside the empty shell of a gastropod mollusc and its soft abdomen and most of its limbs are normally hidden with just the dactyls, or claws, projecting. Like other members of its family, it is left-handed, having its main chela or pincers on the left front limb.

It uses this to cover the aperture of the shell when it feels threatened. The dactyls are a mauve colour due to the clusters of small bluish bristles that cover them. The crab's common name refers to the fact that when seen at close quarters, its eyes resemble star-bursts, being green or blue with dark pupils.

Distribution and habitat

Dardanus venosus is found in Florida, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, the Antilles, Venezuela and Brazil from low tide mark down to about 40 m. It is found on various substrates including rock, gravel, sand, mud, shell, coral and seaweed.

Biology

Dardanus venosus is a scavenger and consumes detritus and anything edible that it finds on the seabed.

The life cycle of Dardanus venosus has been little studied but the eggs are probably brooded attached to the female's abdomen. When the eggs hatch, the larvae are liberated into the water column and pass through several zoeal stages in the plankton before becoming glaucothoë larvae. These are relatively large and have elongated telsons, or rear segments, and characteristic hooks on the dactyls of the walking legs. After some time, the glaucothoë larvae settle out before metamorphosing into juveniles that needs to find shells in which to live.

Ecology

In a study off the coast of Brazil, Dardanus venosus was found occupying eleven different kinds of gastropod shell including three different species of turban snail, (Astraea sp).

Dardanus venosus often has the sea anemone Calliactis tricolor attached to its shell. It actively collects the anemone off a rock or removes it from an outgrown shell when it moves into a larger one. It loosens the grip of the anemone by giving it several taps near the base, causing it to relax.

At first the anemone clings to the new shell with its tentacles until its base has a firm grip on the shell. This is a mutualistic arrangement with both crab and anemone deriving benefit. The crab is protected by the stinging cells of the anemone and the anemone gains transport and a greater supply of food comes within its reach.

Source: Wikipedia: Dardanus venosus — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dardanus_venosus (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.