''Insulamon palawanense'', or the Palawan purple crab is a species of

freshwater crab Around 1,300 species of freshwater crabs are distributed throughout the tropics and subtropics, divided among eight families. They show direct development and maternal care of a small number of offspring, in contrast to marine crabs, which relea ...

from the Philippines described in 2012. They are wide and are a striking purple colour.

History

The species was described by Hendrik Freitag of the Senckenberg Museum of Zoology in Dresden, Germany, having previously been included in a wider circumscription of '' I. unicorn''. The species is endemic to the island of Palawan, where it has a wide distribution. The striking iridescent purple coloration may help the crabs to recognise others of its species, or may serve no purpose.

References

Potamoidea Freshwater crustaceans of Asia Endemic fauna of the Philippines Fauna of Palawan Arthropods of the Philippines Crustaceans described in 2012 {{Crab-stub