The Singapore Freshwater Crab, Johora singaporensis

The Singapore freshwater crab was first described in 1986 by Dr. Peter Ng, and was acknowledged with a scientific name: Johora singaporensis. Being primarily an aquatic species, the Singapore freshwater crab can grow up to 25mm (approximately the size of a fifty-cent coin). One can identify a Singapore freshwater crab by its fields of short, stiff and interspersed hair covering its body, as well as, its light (light orange) and dark (brown) banding patterns on its walking legs.

The Singapore freshwater crab. Photo credit and permission from: Daniel Ng.

Regarded as efficient scavengers and leaf shredders, the Singapore freshwater crabs are largely omnivores whose diet predominantly is comprised of decomposing plants and animal parts found in their natural habitat. Occasionally, they also opportunistically predate on small animals.

The Singapore freshwater crab is only found in Singapore, amidst small remote hill streams in Bukit Timah, Bukit Gombak and Bukit BatokUnpolluted fast-flowing freshwater streams with pH between 6-8 form the optimal habitat conditions for the survival of this species. Moreover, the Singapore freshwater crabs are found to reside amongst rocks and under leaf litter, for both shelter and protection. Such stringent and pristine habitat requirement can explain the limited range of its habitat availability.