Ghatiana sanguinolenta : Fresh Water Crab Species

Ghatiana sanguinolenta : Fresh Water Crab Species

Researchers recently discovered a freshwater crab species, ‘Ghatiana sanguinolenta’ from the Balekoppa village of Sirsi district in northern Karnataka.

• Ghatiana sanguinolenta is a newly discovered species of freshwater crab.
• The crab gets its name from the Latin word ‘sanguinolenta’, meaning ‘red’ or ‘blood-coloured’.
• The crab’s blood-red colour and the outwardly curved article of the first part of the male ‘gonopod’ (genetalia) distinguish it from other species in the Ghatiana subgenus.
• It is currently known only from the type locality, which is situated in the Central Western Ghats of India.
• It is about 1.1 inches wide and about 0.7 inches long.
• It has a “broad,” “strongly arched” body and small eyes.
• Its body has a rich and relatively uniform burgundy red colouring, while the tips of its claws are a lighter cherry red.
• It predominantly resides in water collected within tree trunks and exhibits heightened activity during the rainy season.
• Their diet consists of insects and algae.
• Male and female crabs share the same coloration.