Mahatha is a genus of freshwater crab

Freshwater crab

There are around 1,300 species of freshwater crabs, distributed throughout the tropics and subtropics, divided among eight families. They show direct development and maternal care of a small number of offspring, in contrast to marine crabs which release thousands of planktonic larvae. This limits...

s endemic to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...

. Four of the six species are critically endangered

Critically endangered

Version 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...

 due to habitat loss, and two are listed as Least Concern

Least Concern

Least Concern is an IUCN category assigned to extant taxon or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, Near Threatened, or Conservation Dependent...

 on the IUCN Red List

IUCN Red List

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...

.

Mahatha adonis

Mahatha adonis is a widespread species, known from the Mahaweli Basin, Knuckles Massif and Moneragala

Moneragala

Moneragala is a city in Sri Lanka. It is located in Moneragala District of Uva Province, Sri Lanka.-References:...

. It is considered a species of Least Concern

Least Concern

Least Concern is an IUCN category assigned to extant taxon or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, Near Threatened, or Conservation Dependent...

 by the IUCN.

Mahatha helaya

Mahatha helaya is only known from its type locality, near Kalupahana on the main Colombo

Colombo

Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...

-Haputale

Haputale

Haputale is a town in Badulla District, Sri Lanka. The elevation is 1431 m above the sea level. The area has a rich bio-diversity dense with numerous varieties of flora and fauna. The town has a cooler climate than its surroundings, due to its elevation. The Haputale pass allows views across the...

 road, and is therefore considered critically endangered

Critically endangered

Version 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...

 by the IUCN. The specific epithet helaya comes from the Sinhalese word for an inhabitant of Sri Lanka.

Mahatha iora

Mahatha iora is only known from its type locality, near the Dunhinda Falls

Dunhinda Falls

Dunhinda Falls is a waterfall located about from Badulla town in Sri Lanka. The waterfall is created by the Badulu Oya river which passes through the Badulla town.The Dunhinda Falls is one of Sri Lanka's most beautiful waterfalls located about 5 km off Badulla town...

, and is therefore considered critically endangered

Critically endangered

Version 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...

 by the IUCN.

Mahatha lacuna

Mahatha lacuna is only known from its type locality, near Galle

Galle

Galle is a city situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the capital city of Southern Province of Sri Lanka and it lies in Galle District....

, and is therefore considered critically endangered

Critically endangered

Version 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...

 by the IUCN. The specific epithet , from the Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

 for "hole", refers to the deep burrow in which the species was found.

Mahatha ornatipes

Mahatha ornatipes was originally described in 1915 by Roux as Paratelphusa ornatipes, and was later described as Ceylonthelphusa inflatissima Bott, 1970. It is widespread in the wet zone of Sri Lanka and is considered a species of Least Concern

Least Concern

Least Concern is an IUCN category assigned to extant taxon or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, Near Threatened, or Conservation Dependent...

 by the IUCN.

Mahatha regina

Mahatha regina is only known from its type locality, near Pundaluoya

Pundaluoya

Pundaluoya is a village in Sri Lanka. It is located within Central Province.-External links:*...

, and is therefore considered critically endangered

Critically endangered

Version 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...

by the IUCN. The specific epithet (Latin for "queen") refers to the species' "regal appearance".