"Albinism" in Crabs (Decapoda, Brachyura)

There have been sporadic reports in the literature of "albinism" in crabs, recording the finding of unusual individuals partially or wholly white in appearance (Hatler, 1974; Krouse, 1981; Provenzano, 1960; Sims & Joyce, 1965). It is usualy assumed, by analogy with human albinos, that...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Crustaceana 1982-01, Vol.43 (2), p.200-201
Main Author: Hogarth, P.J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Albinism
Crabs
Malacostraca
Marine
Molting
Notes and News
Pigments
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Summary:There have been sporadic reports in the literature of "albinism" in crabs, recording the finding of unusual individuals partially or wholly white in appearance (Hatler, 1974; Krouse, 1981; Provenzano, 1960; Sims & Joyce, 1965). It is usualy assumed, by analogy with human albinos, that the appearance of such crabs is due to an absence of pigment, and that the condition is genetically determined. Both assumptions are questionable. In reports of "albino" crabs the interferance, by implication, of regional variation in gene frequency (Krouse, 1981; Provenzano, 1960) should not be made without some evidence for the prior assumption of a genetic basis.
ISSN:0011-216X
1568-5403
DOI:10.1163/156854082X00533