‘Large’ sea creature — with ‘blade-like’ claws — discovered as new species. See it

Aspen Pflughoeft
·2 min read
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Scientists boarded a submersible and plunged into the depths of the South China Sea. Thousands of feet below the surface, they encountered a “large” spine-covered creature.

It turned out to be a new species.

Researchers explored the South China Sea through a series of dives on a manned submersible in March 2021, according to a study published May 3 in the peer-reviewed journal Raffles Bulletin of Zoology.

During one of these dives, researchers found a “large” crab on some coral and captured it, the study said. Back on the surface, they took a closer look at the deep-sea animal and realized they’d discovered a new species: Gordonopsis mazupo, or Mazu’s porter crab.

Mazu’s porter crab is considered “large” and has “very long” legs with “blade-like” claws, the study said. Co-author Peter Ng told McClatchy News the crab’s body is about 1.2 inches long, and its legs are over 3.5 inches long. In total, the spine-covered animal measures over 8 inches across.

A Gordonopsis mazupo, or Mazu’s porter crab. Photo from Yadong Zhou via Ng and Liu (2024)
A Gordonopsis mazupo, or Mazu’s porter crab. Photo from Yadong Zhou via Ng and Liu (2024)

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Photos show the pale orange coloring of a Mazu’s porter crab.

Researchers said they named the new species “after the Chinese Goddess or Grandmother of the Sea, Mazu.”

A Gordonopsis mazupo, or Mazu’s porter crab. Photo from Yadong Zhou via Ng and Liu (2024)
A Gordonopsis mazupo, or Mazu’s porter crab. Photo from Yadong Zhou via Ng and Liu (2024)

So far, only one Mazu’s porter crab has been found on bamboo coral about 2,900 feet below the surface of the South China Sea, the study said. The South China Sea is a contested body of water in southeastern Asia that borders Brunei, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

The new species was identified by its legs, spines, body shape, size and other subtle physical features, the study said. Researchers did not provide a DNA analysis of the new species.

The research team included Peter Ng and Xinming Liu.

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