Chhapgarus ngankeeae

Chhapgarus ngankeeae Latest News

Recently, researchers from the Zoological Survey of India discovered a new crab species from the Goan mangroves and named it as Chhapgarus ngankeeae.

About Chhapgarus ngankeeae

• It is a new species of marine crab.
• The species has been named in honour of the late Dr Ngan Kee Ng, a noted marine biologist from the National University of Singapore.
• Habitat: It is found in the muddy intertidal mangrove forests along the west coast of India.

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Characteristics of Chhapgarus ngankeeae

• It is a small crab measuring only about 1.6 centimetres across its squarish, brown, hairy shell.
• The new species features a noticeably narrower abdomen (the male pleon), with its second and third abdominal segments equal in width.
• Its tailpiece, or telson, is as broad as it is long.
• The most distinctive characteristic is the shape of the male reproductive organ (the first gonopod); its hard, chitinous tip features two conspicuously unequal lobes that form a deep V-shaped constriction.
• Ecological Significance: Mangrove crabs play a crucial role in coastal eco systems by recycling nutrients and supporting food chains.

Source: RM