Plants

Plants

Geosesarma and planted tanks, or vivaria, are almost synonymous and most Geosesarma and terrestrial/semi-terrestrial Brachyura setups have some form of plants included in the tank. Whether that is from the most basic bare land with just mosses like the commonly used Taxiphyllum barbieri or Vesicularia dubyana, java mosses, or to the simply planted with Epipremnum aureum, pothos, or to the elaborate heavily planted vivarium full of a variety of tropical plants, Geosesarma have been shown to utilize plants for hiding, hunting, and for setting up separate territories within a tank. 


There are many options for plants to use when setting up a planted crab enclosure, or vivarium/paludarium, but plant species selections can depend on the size of the tank, the design of the tank, the ventilation, and the specific needs of the plants and crabs. 

It is important to note that keeping heavily planted vivarium can be a difficult and in depth process and should only be done by those who are fully comfortable with being able to manage the lifecycle needs of the crabs and plants at the same time, and when in doubt the welfare of the crabs should be put before the welfare of the plants if proper conditions for both can not be adequately met. For more information on keeping Brachyura or Sesarmidae crabs suchs as Geosesarma in vivaria please see the Enclosures section. With that being said Geosesarma will invariably do much better in enclsoures with plants they can use, and plants such as bromeliads have been observed to be highly used by crabs which, very much like dart frogs, will hide in the bromeliad leaf axils which accumulate water with misting and watering. 


Aquatic plants in the pond features are also reccomended for the benefit of Geosesarma. Some aqautics plants offer visual security while others such as Lemna minor (Duckweed) may be fed on as a supplemental food source. 



Geosesarma as Phytotelmata inquilines 

The ground level growing carnivorous pitcher plant Nepenthes ampullaria is a phytotelmata, meaning a living plant body which holds and encloses a water body, other examples of phytotelmata include treeholes, water holding grasses like bamboo, tank bromeliads, other carnivorous plants, and water filled coconut casks (Josque, Fiers, Romero, Martens (2013). Phytotelmata which have been extensively studied and documented for its interactions with micro and macro invertebrate interactions (Adlassinig, Peroutka, & Lendl, 2011). Of importance is the documentation of Geosesarma malayanum and Geosesarma peraccae who use Nepenthes ampullaria for food sources and also habitat respectively (Aldassnig et al, 2011; Ng & Tan, 2008). Animals like these two species of Geosesarma which utilize these phytotelm water bodies are called inquilines. Custacean phytotelm inquilines have been documented as far back as Rumphius (1750)  and also Müller (1880) so these interactions may prove more novel one day for new Geosesarma observations (Josque et al., 2013; Beekman, 2004). Geosesarma has been documented to live phytotelmatically in the water holding capacity Nepenthes ampullaria, and its micro habitat has led to Geosesarma finding refuge as well as as hunting ground for other invertebrates attracted to the same environment (Tan & Ng, 2008). 

The water holding capacity of Nepenthes may serve three observed purposes, the collection of easily preyed on food sources, rehydration needs of the crabs, and also habitat security from larger predators. 

G. malayanum is noted to hunt around or in N. ampullaria but specific prey items are not directly linked but N. ampullaria is documented by Adlassnig et al. (2011) and also by Bin Wahab (2012) to be used by frogs to deposit and rear their tadpoles in, which some frogs are observed to use them obligatory so this interaction could prove to be valid food source for Geosesarma. Some of the Indonesian frogs share additionally some of the same riparian, developing in streams, habitats that Geosesarma do (Bin Wahab, 2012). The small frog originally named after its precise interaction a with N. ampullaria, Microhyla nepenthicola now called Microhyla borneensis certainly occupies the same pitcher plant habitat that Geosesarma mallayanum and Geosesarma peracare may frequent in certain ranges for food sources (Bin Wahab, 2012). Nepenthes ampullaria covers many of the same ranges as Geosesarma inhabit as does the Microhyla genus frogs who have been documented to raise their tadpoles in them (iNaturalist (a), 2022; iNaturalist (b), 2022)

Plants to Use

List of potential plants to use:

Ferns: 

Actiniopteris australis- Eyelash Fern

Adiantum hispidulum- Rough Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum raddianum - Dwarf Maidenhair Fern 

Asplenium nidus ‘Crispy Wave’- Bird’s Nest Fern

Davallia fejeensis - Rabbits Foot Fern 

Davallia tyermanii- White Rabbits Foot Fern 

Davallia trichomanoides- Black Rabbit’s Foot Fern

Microsorum mussifolium- Crocodile Fern

Microsorum pustulatum- Kangaroo Fern 

Nephrolepis cordifolia “Duffi”- Lemon Button Fern

Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Fluffy Ruffles’ 

Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Marisa’ 

Pellaea rotundifolia 

Pteris blumeana/Pteris aspericaulis var. Tricolor (Larger species) 

Pteris cretica ‘Albolineata’- Silver Ribbon Fern

Pteris ensiformis ‘Evergemiensis’ - Silver Lace Fern 


Epiphytics & Small Epipytic Ferns 

Adiantum mariesii 

Asplenium saxicola 

Bolbitis heteroclita 

Bolbitis heteroclita difformis

Lemmaphyllum microphyllum 

Microgramma heterophylla 

Pleopeltus percussa 

Pyrrosia lanceolata 

Pyrrosia nummularifolia 


Selaginellas

Selaginella kraussiana 

Selaginella kraussiana ‘Aurea’- Golden Club Moss

Selaginella kraussiana brownii 

Selaginella kraussiana “Gold Tips”

Selaginella kraussiana variegatus 

Selaginella martensii albolineata - Snowy Club Moss

Selaginella posada 

Selaginella pallescens - Pale Spikemoss

Selaginella sp. “Fairy plume”

Selaginella umbrosa - Red Spikemoss 

Selaginella uncinata- Peacock Moss


Vining/Creeping Plants/Rhizomatous: 

Acorus gramineus- Sweet Flag

Dischidia ovata- Watermelon Dischida

Dischidia nummularia- String of Nickels

Ficus pumila - Creeping Fig 

Ficus thunbergii - Oak Leaf Creeping Fig 

Ficus sp. ‘Lance Leaf’ 

Helix hedera- (Small Cultivars)- Ivy

Helixine soleirolii - Micro Baby’s Tears

Marcgravia rectiflora - (Marcgravia)- Shingling Vines

Marcgravia umbellata 

Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana'- Dwarf Mondo Grass

Peperomia clusiifolia ‘Isabella’ 

Peperomia prostrata - String of Turtles

Peperomia sp. ‘Hope’ 

Peperomia sp. ‘Pepperspot’  

Peperomia clusiifolia ‘Isabella’ 

Pilea depressa ‘Baby Tears’- Depressed Clearweed

Pellionia repens- Watermelon Vine

Pellionia pulchra - Polynesian Ivy

Syngonium podopyllum ‘Mouse Ears’

Syngonium sp. ‘Neon Robusta’ - Pink Arrowhead Vine

Soleiroilia soleirolii- Creeping Baby’s Tears


Other Foliage Plants: 

Acorus gramineus minimus aureus

Anoectochilus albolineatus- Jewel Orchid 

Bacopa aff. monnieri 

Begonia prismatocarpa

Begonia spp. 

Episcia “Silver Skies” 

Fittonia abbivens 

Fittonia argyroneura 

Hemigraphis alternata ‘Snow White’ 

Hypoestes phyllostachya - Polka Dot Plant

Ludisia discolor/ var. Alba- Jewel Orchid 

Meuhlenbeckia complexa

Meuhlenbeckia triloba 

Microsorium punctatum gradiceps compacta 

Peperomia angulata 

Peperomia hoffmannii 

Peperomia campylotropa 

Pilea glauca 

Pilea glaucophylla 

Pilea involucrata 

Pilea molis

Pilea microphylla 

Syngonium podophyllum ‘Pixie’/ ‘Super Pixie’ 

Syngonium podophyllum ‘Pink Petite’ 

Syngonium podophyllum ‘Mini Pixie’ 


Bromeliads:

Aechmea pineliana miniata

Billbergia T.L. Mead 

Billbergia spp. 

Crypbergia rubra - Cryptanthus x Billbergia

Cryptanthus spp.

Cryptanthus nubicola 

Neoregelia spp. 


Others:

Epipremnum aureum 

Epipremnum aureum ‘N’Joy’ 

Fittonia verschaffeltii - Cultivars

Maranta repens-  (Dwarf Prayer Plant)

Monstera pitterii - Swiss Cheese Vine 

Philodendron hederaceum ‘Brasil’ 

Scindapus pictus argyraeus 

Syngonium podophyllum 

Syngonium podophyllum ‘Renoir’ 

Syngonium "Mini Pixie" 

Syngonium "Petite" 


Mosses (Coming Soon)


Aquatic Plants

Azolla caraliniana (Fairy moss/mosquito fern)

Lemna minor (Duckweed) 

Limnobium (Frogbit) (Species variable in size)

Pistia statiotes (Dwarf Water-Lettuce)

Salvinia minima (Water Spangles) 

Spirodela polyrhiza (Large Duckweed)


References: 

Smotzer, C. (2022). Pyrrosia nummularifolia. Photograph for The Geosesarma Database. https://www.flickr.com/photos/smotzerphotos/52102531952/in/dateposted-public/ 

Adlassnig,  W., Peroutka, M., & Lendl, T. (2011). Traps of carnivorous pitcher plants as a habitat: composition of the fluid, biodiversity and mutualistic activities. Anals of Botany, 107(1), 181-194. doi:10.1093/aob/mcq238

Beekman, E. M. (2004). A Note on the Priority of Rumphius' Observation of Decapod Crustacea Living in Nepenthes. Crustaceana, 77(8), 1019-1021. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20105784

Bin Wahab, M, P. (2012). PITCHER PLANT (NEPENTHES AMPULLARIA) CHOICE BY FROGS OF THE MICROHYLA NEPENTHICOLA AND M. BORNEENSIS COMPLEX FOR BREEDING AT KUBAH NATIONAL PARK, SARAWAK. 

iNaturalist (a). (2022). Nepenthes ampullaria. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&subview=map&taxon_id=346348 

iNaturalist (b). (2022). Microhyla borneensis. https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/24825-Microhyla-borneensis

Joque, M., Fiers, F., Romero, M., & Martens, K. (2013). CRUSTACEA IN PHYTOTELMATA: A GLOBAL OVERVIEW. Journal of Crustacean Biology, 33(4), 451-460. DOI : 10.1163/1937240X-00002161

Tan, H., & Ng, P.K.L. (2008). FIRST RECORD IN SINGAPORE OF A NEPENTHIPHILOUS CRAB, GEOSESARMA PERRACAE (CRUSTACEA: DECAPODA: SESARMIDAE). Nature in Singapore, 1(1), 201-205.