Ghatiana atropurpurea is a species of arboreal crab from India that was first identified in 2016.[1] Unlike other species of its genus, Ghatiana, it is not endemic to the Western Ghats.[2]
| Ghatiana atropurpurea | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
| Infraorder: | Brachyura |
| Family: | Gecarcinucidae |
| Genus: | Ghatiana |
| Species: | G. atropurpurea
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| Binomial name | |
| Ghatiana atropurpurea Pati, Thackeray & Khaire, 2016
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Description
editG. atropurpurea has a deep purple carapace (resembling the color of the fruit Indian blackberry) and indigo or deep purple ambulatory legs. Chelipeds are light indigo. Surface of remaining portions such as the claw are light pink.[1]
Distribution
editThe species was first recorded from two localities Amboli (type locality) in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra, and Hathipal in South Goa district of Goa, which is approximately 110 km south of Amboli. There was also one sighting of the species from Amba Ghat in Kolhapur district, which is about 115 km north of Amboli.[1] Later it was spotted in 2017 at the Sharavati valley in Shimoga. It was later found in Karwar in Uttara Kannada district in 2021.[3]
Behaviour and ecology
editG. atropurpurea is partially arboreal, found in association mainly with the Indian blackberry plant. Some crabs were observed in tree holes containing rain water; however, none of them were observed foraging on open ground leaf litters or barks. Adult and sub-adult crabs of the Hathipal area were found in tree holes near the ground level whereas many juveniles gathered under small boulders or foraging on leaf litters. An adult female crab was also seen in a burrow under the crown of a large boulder. One freshly recruit crab was also noticed adjacent to an ephemeral stream, which had left its trail. True phytotelmy is therefore not achieved by G. atropurpurea. Individuals of this species were mainly seen during the heavy or frequent rainfall with or without fog and all day long. The feeding habits of G. atropurpurea are not precisely known. Local people of the Hathipal area mentioned about feeding on roadkills of snails and millipedes. During a night field visit, an adult crab was found in a small pond filled with tadpoles, which could also be a possible source of prey. Population size of this species appeared to be higher at Hathipal than at Amboli.[1]
Etymology
editThe specific epithet atropurpurea is derived from the Latin atropurpureus meaning 'dark purple', referring to the deep purple carapace of the crab resembling the Indian blackberry.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Pati, S.K.; Thackeray, T.; Khaire, A. (23 February 2016). "Five new species of freshwater crabs of the genera Ghatiana Pati & Sharma, 2014, and Gubernatoriana Bott, 1970 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae Rathbun, 1904) from the Western Ghats, India". Zootaxa. 4083 (4): 569–586. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4083.4.7. PMID 27394247.
- ^ Pati, Sameer K.; Thackeray, Tejas (10 December 2021). "Five new species of freshwater crabs of the genera Ghatiana Pati & Sharma, 2014 and Sahyadriana Pati & Thackeray, 2018 from India (Decapoda: Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae)". Zoosystema. 43. doi:10.5252/zoosystema2021v43a26. S2CID 239770111.
- ^ Sanjiv, Deepthi (22 September 2021). "Rare purple crab spotted in Karnataka". Mangaluru News. The Times of India.