Cherax holthuisi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cherax holthuisi | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
| Family: | Parastacidae |
| Genus: | Cherax |
| Species: | C. holthuisi |
| Binomial name | |
| Cherax holthuisi Lukhaup & Pekny, 2006 | |
Cherax holthuisi is a species of crayfish from the Bird's Head Peninsula in New Guinea. It grows to a total length of 81–93 mm (3.2–3.7 in) and is typically pink, orange or yellow in wild specimens. It was described in 2006 after animals circulating in the aquarium trade could not be assigned to any known species.
The total length of Cherax holthuisi is 81–93 millimetres (3.2–3.7 in). In the wild, it is pink, orange or pale yellow, although blue varieties are also sold in the aquarium trade.[2] It is chiefly differentiated from the other species in the genus Cherax by the form of the rostrum, the shape of the claws and the small size of its eyes.[2] In C. holthuisi, the rostrum has two indentations on each side, and several indistinct lobes; in most other species, there are 3–8 teeth on the rostrum.[2]
Distribution and habitat
In the wild, Cherax holthuisi has only been recorded from Aitinjo Lake (1°25′28″S 132°22′22″E / 1.42444°S 132.37278°E) on the Bird's Head Peninsula at the western end of New Guinea, in the Indonesian province of West Papua.[2] The lake is 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) long and up to 350 metres (1,150 ft) wide, and is surrounded by steep mountains.[2] C. holthuisi has been listed as Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List, pending better knowledge of its biology.[1]
