Pseudorugosus info?

Mormegil · Post by **Mormegil** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 2:28 pm

I've read a bit about a species called C. pseudorugosus.

They've found in the same places as C. rugosus (rugs). And by being named "pseudorugosus" I would assume they look like rugosus.

I wonder if some pseudorugs are accidentally sold as rugs in pet stores, if it's difficult to tell them apart. That may explain the high variability with "rugs."

I haven't been able to find much info on them, and wonder if anyone has any info on them.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 6:00 pm

This is just speculation, but the distinction between the two species may've only been discovered recently. It's possible that people have always been getting a mixture of pseudorugosus and rugosus. It depends on just how similar they are.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 8:25 pm

i got a reply from Julia Crab on CSJ:

It's my understanding that they're virtually indistinguishable from c. rugosus. That's what Rob told me, anyway.

Mormegil · Post by **Mormegil** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:18 am

I suppose they can distinguish them in the wild by who "flocks" with who.

Species has clasically been differentiated by seeing if two specimens can have fertile offspring. That's a bit difficult with hermit crabs.

Makes me wonder if all the "C. rugosus" from Madagascar to Malaysia really are the same species. With the difficulty in captive breeding, I doubt this has been determined.