Wednesday, January 6, 2010

'Strawberry' crab species found off Taiwan


A marine biologist says he has discovered a new crab species off the coast of southern Taiwan that looks like a strawberry with small white bumps on its red shell.
National Taiwan Ocean University professor Ho Ping-ho says the crab looks like a species living in the areas around Hawaii, Polynesia and Mauritius.
Two female polka-dotted strawberry crabs of the new species died shortly thereafter, possibly because the water in the area was polluted by a cargo ship that ran aground.

Professor Ho Ping-ho of National Taiwan Ocean University said he made the discovery while carrying out research on the environmental impact from a shipwreck last year on the beaches of southern Kenting National Park.
The two female crabs, with the bigger one measuring one inch in size, have been made into specimens.