HCA: Hermit Crab Association

This is my two Brevimanus Rosseus a new species verified through DNA by Exotic Land Hermit Crabs

Female Sara Rosa:



and her new Boy friend Sal Roja (thanks Cari for help in naming him):






See those nice sharp pins on the ends of his newly molted feet!
The photos just dont do the pink justice.. He is vibrant hot pink.

I believe Sara is a Armored brevimanus rosseus so her exo is a bit rougher.

I love that picture on the chair! LOL

I'm so jealous of all you people who's crabs come out and mess around during the day =(

Beautiful crabbies

Thanks for sharing!

Wonderful names, btw.

Thanks so much. They are both very sweet. Getting along very well with each other. They are two of the biggest crabs in my tank..

Look very similar to the ones I got from LHC

suebee wrote:This is my two Brevimanus Rosseus a new species verified through DNA by Exotic Land Hermit Crabs

Hey, I don't know if this is possible but do you think it'd be possible to get any of the paper work on this? JW bc I had read elsewhere that the pink coloration is a recessive gene as opposed to them being a subspecies?

Beautiful! Looks like there on vacation with the chair Love it!

Hermitcrazy wrote:
Hey, I don't know if this is possible but do you think it'd be possible to get any of the paper work on this? JW bc I had read elsewhere that the pink coloration is a recessive gene as opposed to them being a subspecies?

Where did you read that - I would love to have that reference.

Keith

Beauties!!!

kgbenson wrote: Where did you read that - I would love to have that reference.

Keith

I can get it to you shortly after I return to school

Beautiful crabs!

They do look physically similar to ones I picked up at PetCo a few years ago, but with a bit of a rose-hue to the top side (hence the name I spose!), though the BP looks the same purple. LOL they look almost weighed down by the overside BP sometimes. But still beautiful either way. Can you take some close-ups to point out some distinguishing features?

I also love the crab sitting in the chair LOL I need a chair in my tat now.

Technically though, you can't "verify" a species. A named species is always a hypothesis, as there are a dozen different ways to define species, and the whole tree is in constant flux. But significant DNA difference definitely would be good evidence for different species.

There's distinct populations that can physically breed, but don't, and might still be considered separate species. There's distinct populations A,B,C where A&B and B&C can breed, but A&C can't. Is that one, two, or three species? A statistical interpretation of DNA better compares populations. What amount of DNA difference is necessary to conclude a new species? There are many cases where populations have an amount of DNA differences, and have minor physical differences, but are still the same species.

Anyway, I don't doubt it's a new species. I just think the proper phrase should be "strong evidence through DNA".

[edit]I found the number. The human species is 99.9% identical DNA, but each human differs in the 0.1%, which still constitutes 3 million base pairs. Color variation alone I wouldn't use a a key factor. Many species, including humans, have permanent stark color variations.

suebee wrote:This is my two Brevimanus Rosseus a new species verified through DNA by Exotic Land Hermit Crabs

I happened to procure a coenobita brevimanus rosseus from LHC and it looks identical to Sara Rosa. As Jedi has said, its impossible to procure a biological sample for genetic testing from a live hermit crab specimen, and therefore highly unlikely that they are "Verified through DNA" as you put it.

TheCrabbyTabby wrote:As Jedi has said, its impossible to procure a biological sample for genetic testing from a live hermit crab specimen

I'm not sure if that's quite how you meant to say that, but that not quite what I said. You can process DNA from dead or live animals. That's not a problem. I don't doubt DNA testing was done and differences were found. I'm just saying that species differentiation is not cut and dry, it's a rather gray field subject to constant changes, and that DNA differences alone are not conclusive proof, just verification of a hypothesis.

TheCrabbyTabby wrote:As Jedi has said, its impossible to procure a biological sample for genetic testing from a live hermit crab specimen, and therefore highly unlikely that they are "Verified through DNA" as you put it.

Not so. One can collect hemolymph, one can probably also use portions cast exoskeleton and (I would doubt Bob would ever consent to this) you could remove a leg tip and use the tissue there to get a DNA sample.

There are any number of research papers where biological samples were taken from live crabs, who continued to remain alive.

Keith

JediMasterThrash wrote: I'm just saying that species differentiation is not cut and dry, it's a rather gray field subject to constant changes, and that DNA differences alone are not conclusive proof, just verification of a hypothesis.

Nicely put.

Keith

I wish the photos would show the hot pink.. Its not a pink that has any hues of blue therefore no purple. I do not have access to Bobs paperwork however there is registration of enough differences in DNA to be a different Species and not just a hybrid or cross breed. No one has to believe it. For now it can just not exist in the minds of those who do not believe it until the paperwork is published. I dont mind at all. I wonder in a year how many of the pink indos that are stated to be only different by color variation will still be pink? I dont think LCH has answered that question.. I dont believe that they know the answer. I guess only Time will tell in all areas. Ill try to get some more photos. I have to find someone who is better at taking the photos then i am.