Insulamon palawanense

Insulamon palawanense, or the Palawan purple crab is a species of freshwater crab from the Philippines described in 2012.[1][2] They are 2.5–5.3 centimetres (1.0–2.1 in) wide and are a striking purple colour.

Insulamon palawanense
Insulamon palawanense on a 2015 stamp of the Philippines
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Subphylum:
Crustacea
Class:
Malacostraca
Order:
Decapoda
Infraorder:
Brachyura
Family:
Potamidae
Genus:
Insulamon
Species:
I. palawanense
Binomial name
Insulamon palawanense
Freitag, 2012

History

The species was described by Hendrik Freitag of the Senckenberg Museum of Zoology in Dresden, Germany, having previously been included in a wider circumscription of I. unicorn.[1] The species is endemic to the island of Palawan, where it has a wide distribution.[2] The striking iridescent purple coloration may help the crabs to recognise others of its species,[2] or may serve no purpose.[3]

References
  1. Hendrik Freitag (2012). "Revision of the genus Insulamon Ng & Takeda, 1992 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Potamidae) with description of four new species" (PDF). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. 60 (1): 37–55.
  2. "Newly discovered purple crabs". Yahoo! News. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
  3. "Pretty in Purple". National Geographic Society. April 18, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2012.


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