New species of crab found in Costa Rica

Costa Rica contains 5% of the world's biodiversity with thousands of species of all kinds.

Recently discovered a new species of crab in the country, this was scientifically named as Johngarthia cocoenis which was found by a group of researchers from the University of Costa Rica in Cocos Island, one of the most diverse places in species of the Pacific of Costa Rica.

The leader of the research was the taxonomist of crustaceans Rita Vargas, who said in a detailed report, what were the differences with respect to other species of this type, according to the daily crhoy.com.

This new type of crab has a structure much more extreme in parts of his mouth (maxilipios) which are open and form while a lock between Yes, relatives of the same species, are more closed, completely blocked.

Cocos Island climate is tropical and this species has its mouth parts exposed, this because it develops in a very rainy environment and it is not necessary to retain moisture, according to the specialist.

Another significant feature of this new crustacean is the shape of its shell, which turns out to be different from the other types.

During the year 2009 a specialist of the UCR, Luis Lara identified a species of crab in fresh water, which is only known in the southern region of Costa Rica, it is called scientifically Allacanthos yawi.

Is called crabs to the decapods crustaceans characterized by having five pairs of legs, one of which is a clamp used to capture and handling of food, courtship, or the dispute territorial.

As arthropods they are granted an exoskeleton, which often acquires the character of a shell because it tends to be mineralized with calcium carbonate.

There are more than 4,000 species of animals which are called crabs, and most live near or within seas, rivers or lakes, although some only go to the water to breed.

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Approximately 30% of tourists arrive to Costa Rica for bird watching purposes

Large numbers of tourists arrive daily to Costa to get deep into the forest to observe animals which they’re most passionate about: birds. The sighting of these colorful singers is one of the most famous activities among those visiting the country.

A survey by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) indicates that last year 29.5 % of the tourists who entered the country claimed to have made birds observation, this is equivalent to 430,000 people, this data was obtained by surveys of the non-resident individuals who entered and exited our country air in 2011, whose goal was a recreational visit.

Paul Elizondo, a researcher at INBio (National Biodiversity Institute), explains that Costa Rica is very famous in the world by the number of birds. The country has approximately 880 species of resident and migratory birds, 56 of them are endemic.

Among the species that are most commonly seen are the kettle black (Chamaepetes unicolor), the burrowing serranera or estucuru (Megascops brachyuran), the cuyeo (Caprimulgus saturatus), the colibri throat of fire (Panterpe insignis) and the hummingbird volcano or chispita volcanera (Selasphorus flammula). They also stress the goldfinch (Myadestes melanops), the volcano junco (Junco mexicana vulcani) and rualdo (Chlorophonia callophrys).

There are sites for bird watching in the entire country, being some of the most highly visited of Los Santos in the Cerro de la Muerte, the Palo Verde National Park in Guanacaste; Monteverde, Puntarenas; Tortuguero on the Caribbean and Corcovado in the Osa Peninsula. Also the Carara National Park, which borders with our housing development: Costa Montana.

The number of observed species varies constantly since, especially the migratory are in the need to change their habitats to adapt to climatic variations that you are experiencing today. The phenomenon of birds migration occurs in October in southern direction, explains Elizondo.

However, depending on the species, the migratory populations are kept until the end of March and early April. “The Caribbean and the coastal areas of the Central Pacific are excellent areas for migratory bird watching,” he added.

Although from the data of counts and the knowledge of scientists on each ecosystem lists the birds easier to see, every visitor has its own goal. The tour guide expert in bird-watching Marino Chacón adds that this is a recreational activity that brings a great passion with it.

“There are people who wait years to see a bird, that they have studied, seen in photographs and heard her singing in recordings, and for them it is something very important and find it satisfactory in live and in living color,” he explains. “I remember finally cried when I saw that hummingbird. It was my dream,” said the Canadian Sara Tellman.

To receive these passionate visitors, the country has developed an important tourist industry, which offers a convenient infrastructure and high standards of security to enter forest and observation sites”, match the ICT and Chacón.

“The person who wants to observe birds comes with that as a number one goal; then is concerned about hotel or the transport. Clear that helps you to know that tourists come to an environment of political stability and security,” adds the expert.

All these factors, as well as the increase in international visitors interested in the bird watching, both for recreation and scientific research, have increased the offer.

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