Belonging to the panda crab family—typically recognized for their black-and-white markings—this purple-hued variant is considered extremely rare
Digital Desk: An uncommon elusive kind of crab has been identified in the Kaeng Krachan National Park in Thailand and has baffled nature lovers and wildlife researchers with its desirable purple colour. It has also known as the “Princess Crab” or the “Sirindhorn Crab” in honor of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand.
Belonging to the panda crab family (usually known by the feature of being black and white in markings) this purple-hued variant is considered extremely rare. Popular Science notes that these rare crabs belong to an unknown species; even and even less is known about their striking purple counterparts. Some reports, claims of the crab being first reported in 1986 in Ngao Waterfall National Park to having been discovered backdate further are circulated.
Authorities referred to the sighting as a “natural gift of fortune,” and indeed the discovery of the legendary “King Crab” is as much a wildlife sight worth adoring, it also acts as a strong indicator of what is healthy in the ecosystem. Kaeng Krachan national park is a UNESCO world heritage site with a lot of biodiversity and to top it all there are rare species that have survived to show the supremacy of the forest habitat.
In a 2004 study comparing crab coloring with that of rockfish, Hendrik Freitag of the Senckenberg Museum of Zoology cites the violet coloring of the crab as possibly having evolved as an accident and in fact having no particular purpose in mind other than visual recognition.
The finding has incurred curiosity by netizens. Though numerous users explained how beautiful the crab was, some people confessed that, at first, they did not believe that the animal could be real.
This remarkable sighting serves as both a celebration of Thailand’s unique wildlife and a reminder of the importance of preserving its fragile ecosystems.
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