Researcher Li Jheng-jhang (李政璋) has discovered two tree-dwelling crab species in the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) and named them after two of his friends, the Kenting National Park said on Monday.
Li, a doctoral candidate at National Sun Yat-sen University, discovered the Parasesarma kui near Gangkou Creek (港口溪) and the Parasesarma macaco near Baoli Creek (保力溪), the park said, adding that Li’s initial findings were last month published in a co-authored paper in Zootaxa.
The Parasesarma genus of land crabs, which Li and his co-authors have given the common name “tree-spider crabs,” are distinguished by hook-like legs with short digits and small, flat bodies, which facilitate tree climbing, the paper said.
Photo: Chen Yen-ting, Taipei Times
Li and two other taxonomists from the National University of Singapore and the Indonesian Academy of Sciences over the past three years surveyed Southeast Asia and the coast of East Africa for similar crabs, documenting multiple live specimens, it said.
The study identified seven previously unknown species of tree-spider crabs in the Indo-West Pacific, including the two in Hengchun, doubling Taiwan’s number of indigenous tree-dwelling crab species, the park said.
The Parasesarma kui was named after Ku Ching-fang (古清芳) of Gangkou Village, a long-time park volunteer who has taken part in numerous land crab conservation and research projects, the park said.
The Parasesarma macaco’s name refers to its agile, monkey-like gait and is a tribute to Li’s late friend nicknamed Lin Laohou (“Lin the Old Monkey,” 林老猴), a fellow researcher who drowned at sea near Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) during the writing of the paper, it said.
The two crabs are highly dependent on riverside brushes for habitat, part of which near the Baoli Creek was cut down to build a concrete revetment shortly after the crabs’ discovery, with only a small area north of the creek’s mouth remaining untouched, the park said.
Despite the partial loss of habitat, there are still large numbers of both crab species living by the mouths of the creeks, who venture into the waters during high tide to feed and spawn, the park added.
Kenting is the sole habitat for many rare species and a mecca for biologists around the world, it said, adding that any diminution of biodiversity in the area would be a loss to Taiwan and the world.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
RSS