A Neutrosophic Interpretation of the Island Rule: From the Tethys Ocean to Urban Gigantism in Freshwater Crabs

Abstract

 This paper proposes an extension of the Neutrosophic Theory of Evolution into the field 
of evolutionary biogeography. Using the freshwater crab Potamon fluviatile as a case study, we 
analyze how evolutionary, involutionary, and indeterminate processes interact across geological, 
ecological, and spatial scales. The species originated from marine ancestors in the ancient Tethys 
Ocean and later colonized freshwater ecosystems across the Mediterranean basin. A long-isolated 
population inhabiting subterranean canals beneath the ruins of Rome exhibits unusual body size 
and longevity, suggesting a form of island-like gigantism. We argue that such evolutionary 
phenomena can be interpreted within a neutrosophic framework where adaptation involves 
simultaneous processes of evolution, involution, and indeterminacy. This study represents the first 
formal applications of neutrosophic theory to evolutionary biogeography. 

 DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18930143