Dual-sex crab Vela carli found in Silent Valley
Why in the news
Researchers in Kerala spotted a crab that carries male and female features at once, a rare find for crustaceans.
Key facts
- Species: Vela carli, a freshwater crab of family Gecarcinucidae.
- Condition: gynandromorphy; this crab has male reproductive structures but female gonopores (genital openings).
- Habitat: tree holes in forests of Silent Valley National Park, in the Western Ghats.
- Range: endemic to the Central Western Ghats, meaning found nowhere else.
About gynandromorphy
- A rare condition where one organism shows male and female traits together.
Exam angle
- Scientific name: Vela carli.
- Family: Gecarcinucidae.
- Location: Silent Valley National Park, Kerala.