Guinotia
| Guinotia dentata | |
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| Genus: | Guinotia Pretzmann, 1965
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| Species: | G. dentata
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| Binomial name | |
| Guinotia dentata (Latreille, 1825)
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Guinotia is a monotypic genus of freshwater crabs in the family Pseudothelphusidae,[3] containing only the species Guinotia dentata,[2] commonly known as cyrique.[4] They have few predators.[5] Found in the West Indies, they are easily caught[4] and thus are used locally as a food source.[6]
Description[edit]
Guinotia dentata is almost oval in shape and the teeth on its carapace are very small. It is a yellow-brown colour and its shell can grow to 65 millimetres (2.6 in) long; it is about 3/5 long as wide.[4][6] The eyestalks are yellow whilst the corneas are black,[4] but they are probably best identifiable by their large yellow claws with straight sharply pointed fingers.[7]
The species sometimes has almost an entire dorsal surface of carapace yellow with submarginal brown.[8]
Its shell has a cervical meandering curve which does not quite touch the edge of the shell. About 24 cubicles are well defined. The forehead is low, excavated and depressed and of uniform height.[9] Its pereiopods are fairly average and its chelae are without prominent, swollen protuberance on outer surface near the base of the fingers.[8]
Distribution and habitat[edit]
The species is native mostly to Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Saint Lucia.[1] Its distribution is fragmented because of its presence on multiple islands, but it is plentiful in the regions it inhabits.[1]
Guinotia dentata lives mostly in streams (particularly shady ones)[5] and ponds and may sometimes be seen on land, though it avoids areas that are excessively dry.[3] It has not yet been observed in estuaries.[5] It lives in streams and rives in the highlands of the Lesser Antilles, not including the Virgin Islands.[1][10] They are known to hide under roots of trees, rocks and rotten wood where they dig shallow burrows which are oval in shape.[6][11] They have been spotted at altitudes of 2,850 ft (870 m).[4] They certainly inhabit the Boeri Lake and may inhabit Freshwater Lake.[12]
The largest threat to the species is habitat destruction, and a protected area has been established on Dominica to conserve them.[1]
Reproduction[edit]
Reproduction takes place entirely in fresh water, and breeding takes place all year round; there does not seem to be a breeding season.[5] The young undergo direct development, hatching as juveniles, without passing through any larval stages. The females carry the eggs and protect the young[6] who stay with their mother for a period after hatching.[5]
Diet[edit]
Guinotia dentata is a mainly carnivorous (though partially herbivorous)[6] animal which sometimes also acts as a scavenger or detritivore.[5] It has been observed to eat minnows, prawns, and aquatic algae-like vegetation.[13]
Taxonomic history[edit]
Guinotia dentata was first described in 1825 by Pierre André Latreille.[2] The specific epithet dentata means "toothed" in Latin.[5] In 1965, Gerhard Pretzmann erected the genus Guinotia (a tribute to Danièle Guinot) and made Latreille's species the type species.[14]
The following species were previously considered members of Guinotia:[2]
- Guinotia pestai Pretzmann, 1965 (now Eudaniela pestai)
- Guinotia rodriguezi Pretzmann, 1968 (now Microthelphusa rodriguezi)
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e N. Cumberlidge (2008). "Guinotia dentata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008: e.T134595A3983694. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T134595A3983694.en.
- ^ a b c d Peter Davie; Sammy De Grave (2021). "Guinotia Pretzmann, 1965". World Register of Marine Species. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ a b Richard G. Hartnoll (1988). "Biology of the land crabs: an introduction". In Warren W. Burggren; Brian Robert McMahon (eds.). Evolution, systematics, and geographical distribution. Cambridge University Press. pp. 6–54. ISBN 978-0-521-30690-4.
- ^ a b c d e Kristy Venable (2004). "Photographic Guide to the Freshwater and Terrestrial Crabs of Dominica" (PDF). Texas A&M University. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g Anne Prouzet & Pierre Noël (2009). "Guinotia dentata (Latreille, 1825)" (in French). DORIS. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
- ^ a b c d e Hans Hillewaert. "Guinotia dentata". BioLib. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
- ^ Miculka (2009), p. 5.
- ^ a b Chace & Hobbs (1969), pp. 156–160.
- ^ Gilberto Rodriguez (1982). Les crabes d'eau douce d'Amérique. Famille des Pseudothelphusidae (PDF). Faune tropicale (in French). Vol. XXII. Paris: ORSTOM. pp. 188–192. ISBN 978-2-7099-0513-8. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ Chace & Hobbs (1969), p. 19.
- ^ Miculka (2009), p. 7.
- ^ Chace & Hobbs (1969), p. 42.
- ^ Miculka (2009), p. 13.
- ^ Gerhard Pretzmann (1965). "Vorläufiger Bericht über die Familie Pseudothelphusidae" [Preliminary report on the family Pseudothelphusidae] (PDF). Sitzungsberichte der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Klasse der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien (in German). 1: 1–11. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 February 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- Bibliography
- Brian Miculka (2009). "Burrowing habits, habitat selections, and behaviors of four common Dominican land crabs; Guinotia dentata, Gecarcinus lateralis, Gecarcinus ruricola, and Cardisoma guanhumi" (PDF). Texas A&M University. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
- Fenner A. Chace Jr. & Horton H. Hobbs (1969). "The freshwater and terrestrial decapod crustaceans of the West Indies with special reference to Dominica" (PDF). Bulletin of the United States National Museum. 292: 1–258. doi:10.5479/si.03629236.292.1.