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Geosesarma

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Geosesarma
Geosesarma aurantium
Scientific classification
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Geosesarma

De Man, 1892
Type species
Sesarma noduliferum [1]
de Man, 1892

Geosesarma is genus of small freshwater or terrestrial crabs, typically less than 10 millimetres (0.4 in) across the carapace.[2] They live and reproduce on land with the larval stages inside the egg. They are found from India,[3] through Southeast Asia, to the Solomon Islands and Hawaii.[2] Geosesarma contains the following species:[1]

As of March 2015, professor Peter Ng of National University of Singapore has named 20 Geosesarma species, and he "has another half a dozen or so newly collected Geosesarma species from Southeast Asia in his lab, and these species still need to be named and described."[4]

The unusual name of vampire crabs has nothing to do with their feeding habits, but rather with their bright-yellow eyes, contrasting with the rest of their body, usually purple or orange.[4]

Threats

Geosesarma dennerle and Geosesarma hagen, both originally from Java, are threatened by potential illegal over-collecting for the aquarium trade.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b Peter Davie (2012). "Geosesarma de Man, 1892". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  2. ^ a b Richard G. Hartnoll (1998). "Evolution, systematics, and geographical distribution". In Warren W. Burggren; Brian R. McMahon (eds.). Biology of the Land Crabs. Cambridge University Press. pp. 6–54. ISBN 9780521306904.
  3. ^ S. K. Pati; M. K. Dev Roy; R. M. Sharma. "Freshwater crabs" (PDF). Checklist of Indian fauna. Zoological Survey of India. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  4. ^ a b http://www.livescience.com/50183-vampire-crabs-origins-java.html
  5. ^ Amri Mahbu (March 23, 2015). "New Species of Javan Vampire Crabs Face Potential Exploitation".