First Record of Eight Brachyuran Crabs’ Species (Crustacea-Decapoda) in Socotra Archipelago in the Indian Ocean-Yemen

A groundbreaking study identifies eight previously unrecorded species of brachyuran crabs (Crustacea-Decapoda) in the Socotra Archipelago, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Indian Ocean. This discovery, based on specimens collected from 1984 to 2000 across six sites and preserved at Rostock University and Zoologische Staatssammlung München, significantly expands the known biodiversity of the region. The research documents a total of 32 brachyuran crab species, with Xanthidae (35%) and Grapsidae (19%) being the dominant families. The study highlights the ecological diversity of Socotra's habitats, including sandy shores, rocky coasts, mud flats, sponge areas, coral reefs, and freshwater systems, while underscoring the importance of long-term sampling in uncovering hidden biodiversity.

Al-Hindi, A. N., Wranik, W., Apel, M., Forster, S., & Melzer, R. (2020). FIRST RECORD OF EIGHT BRACHYURAN CRABS’ SPECIES (CRUSTACEA-DECAPODA) IN SOCOTRA ARCHIPELAGO IN THE INDIAN OCEAN-YEMEN. Electronic Journal of University of Aden for Basic and Applied Sciences, 1(4). https://doi.org/10.47372/ejua-ba.2020.4.57