300 New Crustaceans from the Phillipines!

Dear Blue Lobster:

my bros told me they discovered some new kind of giant lobster near the phillipines. what can you tell me about that?

asian pride!
Bunga

Dear Gentle Sir:

French researchers have documented hundreds of species of crustaceans from observations made between 2004 and 2005, up to 300 of which may be new to science. Most of the new species found were shrimp and prawn, but there were several crabs and lobsters as well. It is expected to take five years to categorize the new species using molecular testing.

In the meantime here are some physiological reports that showcase some very unique and exciting characteristics.

• Banana Shrimp. A stunning bright yellow, this species has a curious adaptation: its claws have evolved to pick out detritus from deep within coral, so its front arms resemble long yellow bananas. It grows to a length of one meter.

• Chameleon Shrimp. This species can change its body color to match its surroundings. It does this by releasing chemicals into its blood that color its flesh, visible through its clear shell. The process takes less than half a second and can be repeated as often as necessary until the shrimp swims away. It also changes its colors based on mood, especially while breeding.

• Easter Shrimp. Actually a prawn, this species is a dark purple hue and has a heavily segmented tail which resembles eggs squeezed end-to-end. Its young cling to its tail by means of a mucus secretion and feed on microplankton.

• Spike Ulang (Tagalog for "spiked lobster.") Growing to lengths of 1.2 meters, The Ulang has thorny protrusions along its rostrum, head, thorax, and claws and turns a bright orange during mating season. The female devours the male alive after it has deposited its sperm in the female's cloaca. A pod of about thirty of these creature were observed and it is thought that they form social groups during the dry season.

• Sponge Crab. The Sponge Crab is a member of the Portunidae family but is unique among them in that the female gathers and cultivates sponge in its cloaca after every mating season. In this way it prevents unwanted fertilization by males until its brood has matured.

• The Z Crab. The Z Crab, dubbed so by Dr. Yuri Zhukov of the Chiba University in Russia, is a medium-sized member of Brachyura with oddly-shaped claws that are thought to be used to attract mates. Dr. Zhukov reportedly keeps a live Z Crab specimen in his home aquarium.

Research continues...