Thirty-two benthic species previously undocumented around Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) have been observed, including one that has never before been reported in Taiwan, the Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA) said in a news release on Wednesday.
The OCA said it commissioned National Chung Hsing University’s (NCHU) Research Center for Global Change Biology, National Chiayi University’s Department of Biological Resources and the National Museum of Natural Science to conduct a survey of seabed-
residing invertebrates.
Photo courtesy of the Ocean Conservation Administration
The survey, which was conducted last year, recorded 32 species previously undocumented near the island, with 21 crustaceans, seven echinoderms — members of the phylum that includes sea urchins and starfish — and four mollusc species spotted, the OCA said.
One of the echinoderms, a small, starfish-like creature known as a dwarf brittle star, was observed for the first time ever in Taiwan, the agency said.
Newly documented crustaceans near the island included the thick-legged fiddler crab, a species that inhabits intertidal zones and is notable for its distinctive crimson-red coloring, it said.
The survey also contained only the second recorded sighting in Taiwan of the crab species Ptychognathus stimpsoni, which was previously documented by NCHU professor Shih Hsi-te (施習德) and doctoral student Hsu Jhih-wei (許智惟) in 2020, it said.
The survey found more than 150 benthic invertebrate species, demonstrating Orchid Island’s rich biodiversity, as well as the need for more comprehensive surveys, the OCA said.
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