Scientists confirm horseshoe crabs in a second Philippine province, urge conservation
Philippine researchers have confirmed the presence of horseshoe crabs in the southern island province of Tawi-Tawi for the first time through interviews with local residents. Previously, scientists had recorded the arthropods’ existence only in the country’s Palawan province. In a recent study, fishers and coastal residents described two distinct horseshoe crab species with features resembling […]
Researchers in the Philippines have discovered horseshoe crabs in the southern island province of Tawi-Tawi for the first time, according to a recent study. Previously, scientists had only documented the presence of these arthropods in the country's Palawan province. The investigation, conducted by Ivane Pedrosa-Gerasmio and Quesie Tolero Omnos, gathered information from 142 local residents in four municipalities about their encounters with horseshoe crabs.
The study identified two distinct species of horseshoe crabs in the region: the tri-spine horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus), listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, and the mangrove horseshoe crab (Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda), classified as data deficient due to limited knowledge about its conservation status. Pedrosa-Gerasmio and Omnos emphasized the importance of involving local knowledge in understanding horseshoe crab populations and potential conservation efforts in the area.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
