Rare red crab species discovered off Western Australia

Researchers from the Western Australia Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) have discovered a rare species of bright red crab, identified as Paralomis papua, off the northwest coast of Western Australia. The discovery was made during a project exploring deepwater habitats to identify potentially high-value crustacean stocks for the state’s deep-sea managed fishery.

This marks the sixth species identified through the research, which is funded by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) on behalf of the Australian Government. Previous findings include species such as red royal prawns, red reef lobster, mud rock lobster, slipper lobsters, and scampi.

To conduct the research, scientists have utilized deep-sea cameras to observe remote, unfished areas and have collaborated closely with fishers. The goal is to expand the knowledge base of the West Coast Deep Sea Crustacean Managed Fishery and identify new commercially viable resources.