A small freshwater crab named after Arunachal's two biodiversity hotspots

ITANAGAR:

Abortelphusa Namdaphaensis (the newfound crab) was discovered at Namdapha National Park in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh in April this year. It was found scuttling on the edge of a small stream in Namdapha Tiger Reserve.

The species named after Arunachal Pradesh’s pristine forests as a tribute not just to Namdapha but also to the Abor Hills, another rich biodiversity hotspot in Arunachal Pradesh.

Abortelphusa is named after the Abor Hills and Namdaphaensis, after Namdapha.

"This is our way of honouring both,” said Santanu Mitra, an assistant zoologist at the Crustacea division of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), who has consistently explored the area since 2011.

Namdapha (named a National Park in 1983) is the fourth largest park in India and is known for its rich biodiversity and it harbours four large cats namely tigers, snow leopards, clouded leopards and leopards.