Biodiversity in Indonesia’s coastal areas has once again reached a historic milestone. A joint research team from Medan Area University (UMA) and IPB University has successfully identified and described a new species of sea anteater from the genus Emerita found off the southern coast of Java, specifically in the Pangandaran and Cilacap areas. The species, named Emerita pangandaran, was officially published in the internationally renowned scientific journal Zootaxa on May 5, 2025.
Mole crabs, also known as anteaters, are a group of small crustaceans that live in sandy coastal zones. Previously, only one species of the genus Emerita, Emerita emeritus, was known to inhabit Indonesian waters. However, in a recent scientific expedition, researchers discovered a specimen that exhibited significant morphological and genetic differences compared to the previously described species.
According to Dr. Achmad Farajallah, a lecturer at the Department of Biology at IPB University and the lead author of the publication, Emerita pangandaran has a distinctive feature in the form of a crenulated front edge of the carapace (back shell), different from E. emeritus which has a smooth edge. This finding is further strengthened by mitochondrial DNA analysis of the COI gene which shows a genetic difference of 15–16 percent—a figure that indicates real evolutionary speciation.
Specimens of Emerita pangandaran were collected from the intertidal zone of coarse sandy beaches in the Pangandaran and Cilacap areas, and are now kept at the Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense as a scientific and conservation reference.
This research also involved lecturers and young researchers from Medan Area University, namely Dr. Nisfa Hanim and Dr. Vinna Windy Putri, who played an active role in scientific exploration, analysis, and publication. UMA’s involvement in this research underscores the university’s commitment to scientific development, particularly in the fields of biodiversity and coastal ecology.
Medan Area University is proud to have contributed to this important scientific discovery and remains committed to supporting strategic research that impacts the preservation of Indonesia’s natural resources.
