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**Red-fin Crab
Scientific name: Perbrinckia enodis
Article (short):
Perbrinckia crabs are a group of tiny stream specialists and P. enodis lives only where cool forest streams run clear. Their small size belies a big role: they shred leaf litter, keep streams flowing, and support fish and insect life - and their survival is threatened as streams get diverted and forests are cleared.
Quick facts
Status (approx.): Critically Endangered / micro-endemic (many Perbrinckia species are CR).
Range: Select freshwater streams in Sri Lanka (very local).
Habitat: Shallow, shaded stream margins and seepage rocks.
Diet: Detritus, algae, small invertebrates.
Lifespan: Several years typical for small freshwater crabs.
Reproduction: Brooded eggs; juveniles require clean, oxygenated water.
Ecological role: Key detritivores, supporting nutrient cycling and stream clarity.
Main threats: Water pollution, stream alteration, forest clearance.