A new species of land crab has been discovered in Pingtung County, a researcher at Taiwan’s National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium said earlier this week, adding that the species — Neosarmatium laeve, a kind of sesarmid crab — had until May been misidentified as a different species.
Li Jheng-jhang, the collecting manager at the Pingtung-based museum, told the Central News Agency (CNA) that after sample comparisons, he found that the crabs caught at the mouth of the Baoli River, north of the museum, are not juvenile specimens of Neosarmatium indicum, as had previously been thought, but a separate species.
“The Baoli River crab is a species that has not been recorded in Taiwan before, although it is already known to exist in India and West Pacific countries,” Li said.
Photo: CNA
Li added that his report on the finding has been included in the museum’s official publication, Plaxtax.
N laeve, which measures just 2cm, is the smallest of the sesarmid crabs, which are also known as red-handed shore crabs, Li said, adding that the word laeve means “smooth” and refers to the species’ hairless carapace.
Inhabiting burrows in the mud at the mouth of rivers, the crab is shy and ventures out only at night or after rain, Li said. Judging by its population, the species has been well-established in the area for a long period of time, he added.
Li said that so far, more than 50 kinds of land crab have been recorded on the Hengchun Peninsula in Pingtung. However, he said there could be as many as 10 or more species that have not yet been identified.
Some might have already become extinct without ever having been described, due to human activities and encroachment into their habitats, he said. For example, N laeva was found in an area just 2km away from a hotel construction project.
“Hotel development can cause great damage to the habitat of land crabs,” he said.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”
RSS