v14i2.369
Volume 14 | Number 2 | November 2025
Major Article
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v14i2.369
Submitted date: 24 August 2024
Accepted date: 22 June 2025
Published date: 21 August 2025
Pp. 174–179.
A GEOSPATIAL APPROACH TO THE DISTRIBUTION, DENSITY, AND HOTSPOTS OF FRESHWATER CRABS (DECAPODA: GECARCINUCIDAE) IN SRI LANKA
Dinesh Gabadage, Tharana I. Laksith*, Sachini K. Dissanayake, Lakna S. Elvitigala & G.M. Edirihinghe
*Corresponding author. E-mail: tharanainu@gmail.com
Abstract
Sri Lanka harbors a notable diversity of freshwater crab species. 50 endemic species out of 51 described species in seven genera are found in Sri Lanka. In this study, freshwater crab distribution, densities, and hotspots were identified using geospatial techniques with a collection of data consisting of field surveys and available literature from 1960 to the present. The distribution of freshwater crabs shows distinctive patterns across the country, with spatial distribution clustered in the wet zone. Genus Oziothelphusa exhibited a widespread distribution over Sri Lanka. Density maps reveal high-density clusters in the wet zone, exhibiting a preference by crabs for wetter conditions. Ultimately, the hotspot analysis revealed that the central highlands, southwestern, and western lowlands of the wet zone of the country are the hotspots for freshwater crabs with 99% confidence. The results emphasize the importance of prioritizing conservation plans for the long-term survival of freshwater crabs in Sri Lanka.
Section Editor: Seth J. Wenger
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v14i2.369
Submitted date: 24 August 2024
Accepted date: 22 June 2025
Published date: 21 August 2025
Pp. 174–179.
A GEOSPATIAL APPROACH TO THE DISTRIBUTION, DENSITY, AND HOTSPOTS OF FRESHWATER CRABS (DECAPODA: GECARCINUCIDAE) IN SRI LANKA
Dinesh Gabadage, Tharana I. Laksith*, Sachini K. Dissanayake, Lakna S. Elvitigala & G.M. Edirihinghe
*Corresponding author. E-mail: tharanainu@gmail.com
Abstract
Sri Lanka harbors a notable diversity of freshwater crab species. 50 endemic species out of 51 described species in seven genera are found in Sri Lanka. In this study, freshwater crab distribution, densities, and hotspots were identified using geospatial techniques with a collection of data consisting of field surveys and available literature from 1960 to the present. The distribution of freshwater crabs shows distinctive patterns across the country, with spatial distribution clustered in the wet zone. Genus Oziothelphusa exhibited a widespread distribution over Sri Lanka. Density maps reveal high-density clusters in the wet zone, exhibiting a preference by crabs for wetter conditions. Ultimately, the hotspot analysis revealed that the central highlands, southwestern, and western lowlands of the wet zone of the country are the hotspots for freshwater crabs with 99% confidence. The results emphasize the importance of prioritizing conservation plans for the long-term survival of freshwater crabs in Sri Lanka.
Section Editor: Seth J. Wenger
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