Tricolour Crab: New Species Discovered in Karnataka Forests

• A new freshwater crab species, Ghatiana dhritiarum sp. nov., has been discovered in the central Western Ghats of Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka.
• The discovery was made by Beat Foresters Gopal Diggya Naik and Sunil Rama Gouda and confirmed by the Zoological Survey of India.
• This is India's 77th freshwater crab species and the 14th in the Ghatiana genus, with seven found in Karnataka.
• The crab exhibits unique coloration changes across its life stages: black head/orange legs as juvenile, creamy upper/black-purple underside in intermediate, and completely white with orange leg portions as adult.
• Ghatiana dhritiarum is an indicator species, found in evergreen forests or grasslands with ancient laterite boulders, reflecting the ecosystem's health.