YELLAPUR(UTTARA KANNADA): Another crab genus has been discovered by naturalist duo Gopal Krishna Hegde and Parshuram Bhajantri. This is the third discovery in the last two years.
This time, it is a separate genus ‘Aradhya Placida’. The crab is named ‘Aradhya’ after the younger daughter of one of the naturalists, who discovered it. The discovery has been published in the scientific journal Zootaxa which reads, ‘A New Genus’ and new genus gecarcinucid freshwater crab Aradhya Placida is recognised from the northern part of central Western Ghats of India.
“The new genus is diagnosed and the new genus is described,” the article on the crab said. The new genus resembles Arcithelphusa, which has an ovate, narrow, and deep carapace with a front narrow as compared to other Indian Gecarcinucid genera.
‘Aradhya’ is nevertheless separated from those genera by the character in the carapace, epigastric and postorbital cristae, external orbital angle, cervical grooves, etc. The crab is a freshwater genus. Earlier, the duo discovered a Ghatiana Dwiwarna, a new genus from the central western ghats, which was an attractive bi-colored crab, a 75th crab genus of India. It was followed by another genus Vela Bandhavya, the 76th genus.