Eastern Tasmania samples of the introduced New Zealand screwshell (Maoricolpus roseus) collected from Bass Strait, Maria Island, Pirates Bay and Dennes Point. The work examines utilization of this gastropod by native hermit crabs, with site location, date, depth, dredge opening size, shell measurements, and crab species, sex, and size recorded. The dataset is hosted by the Australian Ocean Data Network.
Use Cases
- Analyze spatial variability in hermit crab occupancy based on collection sites mentioned in the description.
- Model relationships between shell size and crab presence based on shell length and width measurements.
- Study the impact of an invasive gastropod on native communities based on the described species interaction.
- Assess habitat suitability based on recorded environmental variables like depth and dredge opening size.
Strengths
- Data includes multiple environmental variables: site location, date, depth, and dredge opening size.
- Shell morphology is documented with specific measurements for length, width, and spire damage.
- Hermit crab observations include species identification, sex, and size.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
- Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the four specific collection sites in eastern Tasmania.
Provenance
- Source
- Australian Ocean Data Network
- Collection Method
- Samples collected using a modified scallop dredge or by divers.
- Freshness
- Last updated 2026-05-05 05:01:17.579419; freshness should be verified.
- Geography
- Eastern Tasmania (Bass Strait, Maria Island, Pirates Bay, Dennes Point)