Mictyris platycheles is a species of crab found on mudflats on the east coast of Australia from Tasmania and Victoria to Queensland.[2] They live in large groups, so are commonly called soldier crabs.[3] Adults are 15 mm (0.59 in) across and similarly tall, and are coloured blue to blue-grey.[3] Mictyris platycheles gets its food by picking up balls of sands and putting it in its mouth, which filters out the food particles (detritus).
Mictyris platycheles | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Malacostraca |
Order: | Decapoda |
Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
Infraorder: | Brachyura |
Family: | Mictyridae |
Genus: | Mictyris |
Species: | M. platycheles
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Binomial name | |
Mictyris platycheles H. Milne-Edwards, 1852 [1]
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