Title of Chapter/Section
An overview of the Afrotropical freshwater crab fauna: Diversity, biogeography, and conservation (Brachyura, Potamoidea, Potamonautidae and Potamidae)
Title of Book
Advances in freshwater decapod systematics and biology
Editor(s) of Book
Yeo, D., Cumberlidge, N. & Klaus, S.
Department
Biology
Document Type
Book Section/Chapter
Place of Publication
The Netherlands
Publisher
Koninklijke Brill
Year of Publication
2014
Series (if applicable)
Crustaceana Monographs
Series Volume (if applicable)
19
Page Range
71-99
Description
The Afrotropical region has a rich, highly diverse, and distinctly recognizable freshwater crab fauna comprising 145 species in 20 genera and two families. The entire Afrotropical freshwater crab fauna is endemic to Africa and its islands, and is distributed over 46 countries in eight distinct regions.Major centers of species richness include the Rift Valley of eastern Africa, the Upper Guinea forests of western Africa, and the Lower Guinea forests of central Africa. The IUCN Red List indicates that the majority (71%) of the 103 species of potamonautine and deckeniine Afrotropical freshwater crabs are of Least Concern and just two species are Near Threatened. Some twenty-eight species (27%) are listed in one of three threatened categories, either as Vulnerable (16 species), Endangered (10 species), or Critically Endangered (2 species). Excluded are the 33 species found to be Data Deficient because of a lack of information on distribution and population levels, and the 10 species discovered since the last assessment in 2009.
Recommended Citation
Cumberlidge N. 2014. An overview of the Afrotropical freshwater crab fauna: Diversity, biogeography, and conservation (Brachyura, Potamoidea, Potamonautidae and Potamidae). In: Crustaceana Monographs: Advances in freshwater decapod systematics and biology, Yeo, D., Cumberlidge, N. & Klaus, S. (eds.), Koninklijke Brill, The Netherlands. Pp. 71-99.