Local teen makes amazing discovery

Zhang Yixuan. [Photo by Qin Qin/For China Daily]

To get a more scientific answer, Zhang followed a friend's advice and reached out to Professor Zou Jiexin, who works at Nanchang University in Jiangxi province, for help.

Zhang sent a sample to Zou's lab and included detailed information about the crab's habitat for further research. After a round of gene molecular detection, the crab Zhang discovered was identified as a new species of Sinolapotamon.

And Professor Zou's team published this discovery in a paper. "Sinolapotamon cirratum sp. nov.", as the new species is named in the paper, is distinguished from other crab specimens by "the combination of characters of its carapace, third maxilliped, anterolateral margin, and unique male first gonopod," notes the study.

This significant discovery has enriched the genus of Sinolapotamon and made Zhang believe that in the future, more species of Sinolapotamon may be discovered in the Pearl River Basin since almost all Sinolapotamon which have been discovered inhabit this area.

Highly focused on his interest, Zhang decided to broaden his horizons by joining professional groups specialized in biology on social media and communicating with experts online.

Besides, the diligent and talented teenager is very grateful to his parents for their understanding and support.

His father Zhang Lefei, who was born in a rural area, loved catching fish and crabs himself at an early age. So he and his wife would take their son out into nature to explore as much as possible and would allow him to observe crabs quietly without any disruptions.

They say interest is the best teacher. And so are parents, it seems.

Zhang Yixuan (right) collects crabs on a mountain of Yulin, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo by Qin Qin/For China Daily]