Let’s be honest, oceans are full of mystery. The underwater world is filled with so many secrets and we have still not uncovered even a fraction of them. As it happens, there are several species of plants, microorganisms, and even animals that are probably still not known to people. And it is for this reason that researchers are constantly digging up for answers. Recently, this was proved to be true as two new marine species of crabs and shrimps were discovered in the shallow waters of Saudi Arabia. Here’s all you need to know about this discovery.
A New Specie Of Shrimp & Crab Discovered
As the scientists dug deep into several burrows, they found unusual animals inside. The shallow waters of the Western Coast of Saudi Arabia, where researchers, Arthur Anker and Francesca Benzoni were surveying when they found unusual shrimp and several crabs. As described in a study published on May 4, these unusual animals were hidden in plain sight. According to a news report by the Miami Herald, these animals are found living in a snapping shrimp burrow! When they looked closer, they realised that they had discovered two new species of crustaceans!
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How Are They Different From Other Existing Species?
However, these newly discovered species were accidentally lost while being transported to a holding institution. So, the researchers went back to Thuwal sand flat and collected several more specimens. This new species of shrimp called Palaemonella jamila, has translucent colouring with a pale yellow tinge and a few reddish spots on its body and eye stocks. It’s worth noting that the shrimp is about 0.3 inches in length and the name, Jamila means beautiful, pretty and elegant.
The new species of the crab has been named Enosteoides habibi, which is about 0.3 inches long and wide. Boasting a tan-yellow colour with darker red-brown markings, these new crab species have been distinguished from others with their limited number of teeth, spinal shape, and colouring. It’s worth noting that Thuwal is about 620 miles south-west of Riyadh and the study calls for further research into the newly discovered species.
However, these new marine species discoveries in Saudi Arabia strengthen our notion that there is still a lot about the ocean that we don’t know yet.
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva (Images are for representative purposes only)