View source for Mahatha

{{Short description|Genus of crabs}}
{{Taxobox
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Arthropod]]a
| subphylum = [[Crustacean|Crustacea]]
| classis = [[Malacostraca]]
| ordo = [[Decapoda]]
| infraordo = [[Crab|Brachyura]]
| familia = [[Gecarcinucidae]]
| genus = '''''Mahatha'''''
| genus_authority = Ng & Tay, 2001
| type_species = ''Mahatha adonis'' <small>Ng & Tay, 2001</small>
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
*''Mahatha adonis'' <small>Ng & Tay, 2001</small>
*''Mahatha helaya'' <small>Bahir & Ng, 2005</small>
*''Mahatha iora'' <small>Ng & Tay, 2001</small>
*{{nowrap|''Mahatha lacuna'' <small>Bahir & Ng, 2005</small>}}
*''Mahatha ornatipes'' <small>(Roux, 1915)</small>
*''Mahatha regina'' <small>Bahir & Ng, 2005</small>
}}
'''''Mahatha''''' is a genus of [[freshwater crab]]s [[endemism|endemic]] to [[Sri Lanka]]. Four of the six species are [[critically endangered]] due to [[habitat loss]],<ref>{{cite book |author=IUCN Sri Lanka |author-link=International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |author2=The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources |author2-link=Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources |name-list-style=amp |year=2007 |title=The 2007 Red List of Threatened Fauna and Flora of Sri Lanka |location=[[Colombo]], Sri Lanka |isbn=978-955-8177-63-1}}</ref> and two are listed as [[Least Concern]] on the [[IUCN Red List]].
==Species==
===''Mahatha adonis''===
'''''Mahatha adonis''''' is a widespread species, known from the [[Mahaweli river|Mahaweli Basin]], [[Knuckles mountain range|Knuckles Massif]] and [[Monaragala]]. It is considered a species of [[Least Concern]] by the IUCN.<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Esser, L.J. |author2=Cumberlidge, N. |date=2008 |title=''Mahatha adonis'' |volume=2008 |page=e.T61707A12538797 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T61707A12538797.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>
===''Mahatha helaya''===
'''''Mahatha helaya''''' is only known from its [[type locality (biology)|type locality]], near [[Kalupahana]] on the main [[Colombo]]-[[Haputale]] road, and is therefore considered [[critically endangered]] by the IUCN.<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Bahir, M.M. |author2=Ng Kee Lin, P. |author3=Crandall, K.A. |author4=Pethiyagoda, R. |author5=Cumberlidge, N. |date=2008 |title=''Mahatha helaya'' |volume=2008 |page=e.T61708A12539189 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T61708A12539189.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref> The [[specific name (zoology)|specific epithet]] ''helaya'' comes from the [[Sinhalese language|Sinhalese]] word for an inhabitant of Sri Lanka.<ref name="Bahir">{{cite journal |author1=Mohomed M. Bahir  |author2=Peter K. L. Ng  |name-list-style=amp |year=2005 |journal=[[Raffles Bulletin of Zoology]] |volume=Suppl. 12 |pages=47–75 |title=Descriptions of ten new species of freshwater crabs (Crustacea: Brachyura: Parathelphusida: ''Ceylonthelphusa'', ''Mahatha'', ''Perbrinckia'') from Sri Lanka |url=http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/rbz/biblio/s12/s12rbz047-075.pdf }}</ref>
===''Mahatha iora''===
'''''Mahatha iora''''' is only known from its [[type locality (biology)|type locality]], near the [[Dunhinda Falls]], and is therefore considered [[critically endangered]] by the IUCN.<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Bahir, M.M. |author2=Ng Kee Lin, P. |author3=Crandall, K.A. |author4=Pethiyagoda, R. |author5=Cumberlidge, N. |date=2008 |title=''Mahatha iora'' |volume=2008 |page=e.T61709A12539587 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T61709A12539587.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>
===''Mahatha lacuna''===
'''''Mahatha lacuna''''' is only known from its [[type locality (biology)|type locality]], near [[Galle]], and is therefore considered [[critically endangered]] by the IUCN.<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Bahir, M.M. |author2=Ng Kee Lin, P. |author3=Crandall, K.A. |author4=Pethiyagoda, R. |author5=Cumberlidge, N. |date=2008 |title=''Mahatha lacuna'' |volume=2008 |page=e.T61710A12540209 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T61710A12540209.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref> The [[specific name (zoology)|specific epithet]] {{lang|la|lacuna}}, from the [[Latin]] for "hole", refers to the deep burrow in which the species was found.<ref name="Bahir"/>
===''Mahatha ornatipes''===
'''''Mahatha ornatipes''''' was originally described in 1915 by Roux as ''Paratelphusa ornatipes'', and was later described as ''Ceylonthelphusa inflatissima'' Bott, 1970. It is widespread in the wet zone of Sri Lanka and is considered a species of [[Least Concern]] by the [[International Union for Conservation of Nature|IUCN]].<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Bahir, M.M. |author2=Ng Kee Lin, P. |author3=Pethiyagoda, R. |author4=Crandall, K.A. |author5=Cumberlidge, N. |date=2008 |title=''Mahatha regina'' |volume=2008 |page=e.T61712A12541080 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T61712A12541080.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>
===''Mahatha regina''===
'''''Mahatha regina''''' is only known from its [[type locality (biology)|type locality]], near [[Pundaluoya]], and is therefore considered [[critically endangered]] by the IUCN.<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Bahir, M.M. |author2=Ng Kee Lin, P. |author3=Crandall, K.A. |author4=Pethiyagoda, R. |author5=Cumberlidge, N. |date=2008 |title=''Mahatha ornatipes'' |volume=2008 |page=e.T61711A12540713 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T61711A12540713.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref> The specific epithet {{lang|la|regina}} (Latin for "queen") refers to the species' "regal appearance".<ref name="Bahir"/>
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q6733473}}
[[Category:Gecarcinucidae]]
[[Category:Freshwater crustaceans of Asia]]
[[Category:Crustaceans of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot]]