Description of a new species of Potamonautes MacLeay, 1838, from the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa

By

Peer, Nasreen
Perissinotto, Renzo
Gouws, Gavin
Miranda, Nelson

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2015

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

503

Pages

23-43

Subjects

Brachyura , ephemeral pans , freshwater , iSimangaliso Wetland Park , Potamonautes , sand forest , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.503.9532

 

Abstract

A new species of freshwater crab, Potamonautes isimangaliso sp. n., is described from the western shores of False Bay, Hluhluwe, within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa. While bearing a superficial resemblance to P. lividus, the new species has been found to be genetically distinct, diverging from the former by 7.4–7.8% in mtDNA. Potamonautes isimangaliso most closely resembles P. lividus, but is distinguished by a unique suite of carapace characters, colouration, and size. The new species also lives in close association with oxygen-poor, fresh ephemeral pans, while the habitat of P. lividus is well above the surface water line of the closest water body. An updated identification key for the Potamonautes species of South Africa is provided.