Unexpectedly, the new species discovered by Dr. Huang Chao after the 90s, the Shenzhen giant-bellied crab, has actually become a mirror on the Internet. The same crab, in the eyes of researchers as a new species, has become a delicacy for foodies.
In November this year, the latest issue of Zoological Studies, an international journal for zoological research, published a research paper by Huang Chao and Mao Siying on the decapods (shrimp and crabs) of The Crustaceans (shrimps and crabs) in Shenzhen.
While systematically introducing the diversity of Decapods in Shenzhen, the paper describes a new species named after Shenzhen, the Shenzhen Giant-bellied Crab (Megapleonum shenzhen), filling the research gap in the diversity of large aquatic invertebrates in Shenzhen.
△ Shenzhen giant belly crab
After the news spread, foodies smelled "crabs" and went to Dr. Huang Chao's personal homepage to punch in. "Can you eat it", "Is it suitable for steaming or braised"........ In the eyes of researchers, the new species has become "hairy crab" in the world of foodies; some netizens are not impressed with the new crab species, "the ravines of the hometown are everywhere, not a new thing."
With everyone's concerns, the editor of "science and technology workers" contacted Dr. Huang Chao, who had something to say to everyone.
Can I eat it? Does it taste good?
Of course! However, it should not be used as an object of consumption
Haha, I see 90% of the comments are asking "is it good to eat", it seems that most people are foodies!
Of course, it can be eaten, and most of the crabs can be eaten. However, the individual of the brook crab is relatively small, the shell is more than the meat, and it is not very popular. In addition, some species have an extremely narrow distribution range, and the population itself is relatively small, so it is very inappropriate to collect it as an edible object.
There are a lot of hometowns, not a new thing, right?
Freshwater crabs are abundant, and the crabs in your hometown may be really new!
This is a question that I urgently want to reply to all netizens.
Most people do not know that China has more than 300 species of freshwater crabs, which is the country with the largest number of freshwater crab species in the world. However, there are many species of brook crab that look very similar.
△ The species of brook crab named by Dr. Huang Chao in the past ten years
There are two main factors contributing to this:
First, the brook crab is a large egg crab. Compared with the common sea crabs that spread with ocean currents, the diffusion ability of stream crabs is much worse, and many species are only distributed in one or two hills;
Second, most brook crabs live in similar mountain and stream environments and are subject to similar survival pressures, so natural selection will allow them to share some common appearance characteristics. In this way, these groups of brook crabs are isolated from each other. This phenomenon is called "convergent evolution."
The identification of stream crab species requires us to carefully observe, and many features are not visible at a glance. The most important taxonomic feature is the first abdominal limb of the male, which requires the opening of the male's abdomen to be observed.
Therefore, the crabs in the ravines of our hometown may look ordinary, but the crabs in the ravines of different hometowns are likely to be of different species. Maybe the crab in the ravine of your hometown is still a new species!
How do I join an "independent researcher" organization?
First of all, we must have a stable income to ensure the food and happiness of our families
Since I was a child, I have loved freshwater aquatic animals, especially fish, shrimp and crabs. Ever since I stumbled upon my first new species, I've been doing it. This year is my tenth year of studying brook crabs, and as long as I am really interested in one thing, ten years is like a blink of an eye.
I've always felt particularly fortunate to be an independent researcher, to be free to do what I want to do without having to face a lot of tedious things.
△ Dr. Huang Chao did the collection work in the field
Haha, there may be netizens think my identity is cool, right? But for young people who want to join our "organization", the first thing is to have a stable income, to ensure the food and happiness of themselves and their families, which is the most difficult, but as long as they can do it, then they have a lot of time to delve into what they like.
Finally, once again, I would like to remind the netizens who have crabs in the ravines of their hometowns that if they want to discover new species, they must first have a basic foundation in life science and taxonomy; secondly, they must be very familiar with a specific taxon to see what is not recorded.
Hurry up and learn!
Author: Yi Xiaoyan