Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Global diversity of crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) in freshwater

  • Chapter
Book cover Freshwater Animal Diversity Assessment

Part of the book series: Developments in Hydrobiology ((DIHY,volume 198))

Abstract

An assessment of the global freshwater crab diversity is presented. A total of 1,476 species in 14 families are currently known from all zoogeographical regions (except Antarctica), including 1,306 species in eight exclusively freshwater families (Pseudothelphusidae, Trichodactylidae, Potamonautidae, Deckeniidae, Platythelphusidae, Potamidae, Gecarcinucidae and Parathelphusidae). Estimates of true freshwater crab diversity including likely numbers of undescribed taxa suggest that the field remains largely in a “discovery” phase. Main ideas on the origins, diversification, and phylogeny of true freshwater crabs are briefly discussed. The economic importance of freshwater crabs is also highlighted.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Bahir, M. M., P. K. L. Ng, K. Crandall & R. Pethiyagoda, 2005. A conservation assessment of the freshwater crabs of Sri Lanka. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 12: 121–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bănărescu, R. M., 1990. Zoogeography of Freshwaters. 1. General distribution and dispersal of freshwater animals. AULA-Verlag, Weisbaden, 1–511.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbaresi, S. & F. Gherardi, 1997. Italian freshwater decapods: exclusion between the crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes (Faxon) and the river crab Potamon fluviatile (Herbst). Bulletin française de la Pêche et de la Piscicolture 347: 731–747.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bossuyt, F., M. Meegaskumbura, N. Beenaerts, D. J. Gower, R. Pethiyagoda, K. Roelants, A. Mannaert, M. Wilkinson, M. M. Bahir, K. Manamendra-Arachchi, P. K. L. Ng, C. J. Schneider, O. V. Oommen & M. C. Milinkovitch, 2004. Local endemism within the western Ghats-Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot. Science 306: 479–481.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bott, R., 1955. Die Süsswasserkrabben von Afrika (Crustacea, Decapoda) und ihre Stammesgeschichte. Annales du Musee Royal du Congo belge 1: 209–352, Pls. 1–30, Figs. 1–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bott, R., 1970. Die Süsswasserkrabben von Europa, Asien, Australien und ihre Stammesgeschichte. Eine Revision der Potamoidea und Parathelphusoidea (Crustacea, Decapoda). Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft, Frankfurt 526: 1–338, Pls. 1–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brandis, D., 2002. On the taxonomic status and biogeography of the Isolapotamidae Bott, 1970 (Decapoda, Brachyura). Journal of Natural History, London 36: 1291–1339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chia, O. K. S. & P. K. L. Ng, 1998. Is Sundathelphusidae Bott, 1969 a valid taxon? A cladistic appraisal. Proceedings and Abstracts of the 4th International Crustacean Congress, Amsterdam: 72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chia, O. K. S. & P. K. L. Ng, 2006. The freshwater crabs of Sulawesi, with descriptions of two new genera and four new species (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Parathelphusidae). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 54: 383–428.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colosi, G., 1921. La distribuzione geografica dei Potamonidae. Rivista di Biologia 3: 294–301.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cox, C. B., 2001. The biogeographic regions reconsidered. Journal of Biogeography 28: 511–523.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cumberlidge, N., R. v. Sternberg, R. Bills & H. A. Martin, 1999. A revision of the genus Platythelphusa A. Milne-Edwards, 1887, from Lake Tanganyika, East Africa (Decapoda: Potamoidea: Platythelphusidae). Journal of Natural History 33: 1487–1512.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cumberlidge, N., 1999. The Freshwater Crabs of West Africa: Family Potamonautidae. Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Collection Faune et Flore Tropicales no. 36, Paris, 1–382.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cumberlidge, N. & S. R. Daniels, 2007. A conservation assessment of the freshwater crabs of southern Africa (Brachyura: Potamonautidae). African Journal of Ecology (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cumberlidge, N., S. R. Daniels & R. v. Sternberg, 2007. A revision of the higher taxonomy of the Afrotropical freshwater crabs (Decapoda: Brachyura) with a discussion of their biogeography. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cumberlidge, N., D. B. Fenolio, M. E. Walvoord & J. Stout, 2005. Tree-climbing crabs (Potamonautidae and Sesarmidae) from phytotelmic microhabitats in rainforest canopy in Madagascar. Journal of Crustacean Biology 25: 302–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cumberlidge, N. & R. v. Sternberg, 2002. The freshwater crabs of Madagascar (Crustacea, Decapoda, Potamoidea). Zoosystema 24: 41–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dai, A. Y., 1999. Fauna Sinica (Arthropoda, Crustacea, Malacostraca, Decapoda, Parathelphusidae, Potamidae). Editorial Committee of Fauna Sinica, Academia Sinica, Science Press, Beijing, 501 pp, 238 figs., 30 pls.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daniels, S. R., N. Cumberlidge, M. Pérez-Losada, S. A. E. Marijnissen & K. A. Crandall, 2006. Evolution of Afrotropical freshwater crab lineages obscured by morphological convergence. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 40: 227–235.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Daniels, S. R., B. A. Stewart, G. Gouws, M. Cunningham & C. A. Matthee, 2002. Phylogenetic relationships of the southern African freshwater crab fauna derived from multiple data sets reveal biogeographic patterning. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 25: 511–523.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Finkers, J., 1986. Los Yanomami y su sistema alimenticio (Yanomami Nii Pë). Vicariato Apostólico de Puerto Ayacucho, Puerto Ayacucho. Monografía no 2, 262 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glaessner, M. F., 1969. Decapoda. In Moore, R. C. (ed), Treatise on Invertebrate Palaeontology. Part R. Arthropoda 4. Geological Society of America, 2: R399–R533.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klaus, S., C. D. Schubart & D. Brandis, 2006. Phylogeny, biogeography and a new taxonomy for the Gecarcinucoidea Rathbun, 1904 (Decapoda: Brachyura). Organisms, Diversity and Evolution 6: 199–217.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lundberg, J. G., L. G. Marshall, J. Guerrero, B. Norton, M. C. Malabarba & F. Wesselingh, 1998. The Stage for Neotropical Fish Diversification: A History of Tropical South American Rivers. In Malabarba, L. R., R. E. Reis, R. P. Vari, C. A. S. Lucena & Z. M. S. Lucena (eds), Phylogeny and Classification of Neoptropical Fishes. EDIPUCRS, Porto Alegre, 12–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Magalhães, C., 2000. Diversity and abundance of decapod crustaceans in the Rio Negro basin, Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. In Chernoff, B., L. E. Alonso, J. R. Montambault & R. Lourival (eds), A Biological Assessment of the Aquatic Ecossystems of the Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Conservation International, Washington, DC, 56–62. Bulletin of Biological Assessment 18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Magalhães, C., 2003. Famílias Pseudothelphusidae e Trichodactylidae. In Melo, G. A. S. (ed), Manual de Identificação dos Crustacea Decapoda de Água Doce do Brasil. Editora Loyola, São Paulo, 143–287.

    Google Scholar 

  • Magalhães, C., F. A. Abrunhosa, M. de Oliveira Pereira & M. A. Melo, 2005. New records of Fredius denticulatus (H. Milne-Edwards, 1853) and F. reflexifrons (Ortmann, 1897), and the eastern limits of the distribution of pseudothelphusid crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda) in Brazil. Acta Amazonica 35: 93–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, J. W. & G. E. Davis, 2001. An updated classification of the recent Crustacea. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Science Series 39, 124 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marijnissen, S. A. E., E. Ellinor Michel, S. R. Daniels, D. Erpenbeck, S. B. J. Menken & F. R. Schram, 2006. Molecular evidence for recent divergence of Lake Tanganyika endemic crabs (Decapoda: Platythelphusidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 40: 628–634.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marijnissen, S. A. E., S. Lange & N. Cumberlidge, 2005. Revised distribution of the African freshwater crab genus Deckenia Hilgendorf, 1868 (Brachyura, Potamoidea, Deckeniidae). Crustaceana 78: 889–896.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ng, P. K. L., 1988. The Freshwater Crabs of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Department of Zoology, National University of Singapore, Shinglee Press, Singapore, i–viii, 1–156, Figs. 1–63, 4 colour plates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ng, P. K. L & G. Rodríguez, 1995. Freshwater crabs as poor zoogeographical indicators: a critique of Bănărescu (1990). Crustaceana 68: 636–645.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ng, P. K. L., Z. Števčić & G. Pretzmann, 1995. A revision of the family Deckeniidae Ortmann, 1897 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamoidea), with description of a new genus (Gecarcinucidae: Gecarcinucoidea) from Seychelles, Indian Ocean. Journal of Natural History 29: 581–600.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ng, P. K. L. & F. W. M. Tay, 2001. The freshwater crabs of Sri Lanka (Decapoda: Brachyura: Paratelphusidae). Zeylanica 6: 113–199.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ng, P. K. L. & D. C. J. Yeo, 2007. Malaysian freshwater crabs: conservation prospects and challenges. In Chua, L. S. L., L. G. Kirton & L. G. Shaw (eds), Status of Biological Diversity in Malaysia and Threat Assessment of Plant Species in Malaysia. Proceedings of the Seminar and Workshop. 28–30 June 2005, 95–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pretzmann, G., 1973. Grundlagen und Ergebnisse der Systematik der Pseudothelphusidae. Zeitschrift fuer Zoologische Systematik und Evolutionsforschung 11: 196–218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reed, S. K. & N. Cumberlidge, 2006. Taxonomy and biogeography of the freshwater crabs of Tanzania, East Africa (Brachyura: Potamoidea: Potamonautidae, Platythelphusidae, Deckeniidae). Zootaxa 1262: 1–139.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez, G., 1982. Les crabes d’eau douce d’Amerique. Famille des Pseudothelphusidae. ORSTOM, Paris, 224 pp, Faune Tropicale 22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez, G., 1986. Centers of radiation of freshwater crabs in the neotropics. In Gore, R. H. & K. L. Heck (eds), Biogeography of Crustacea, Crustacean Issues 3: 51–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez, G., 1992. The Freshwater Crabs of America. Family Trichodactylidae. Office de la Recherche Scientifique d’Outre Mer (ORSTOM), Paris, 200 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez, G. & C. Magalhães, 2005. Recent advances in the biology of the Neotropical freshwater crab family Pseudothelphusidae (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura). Revista brasileira de Zoologia 22: 354–365.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez, G. & H. Suárez, 2004. A revision of the freshwater crabs of the family Pseudothelphusidae (Decapoda: Brachyura) from Peru with notes on the southern limits of the family. Amazoniana 18: 11–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosen, D. E., 1976. A vicariance model of Caribbean biogeography. Systematic Zoology 24: 431–464.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Segawa, R., (2000). Molecular phylogenetic study of potamoid crabs in Ryukyu Islands. Kaiyo Monthly 32: 241–245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shih, H.-T., S.-H. Fang & P. K. L. Ng, 2007. Phylogeny of the freshwater crab genus Somanniathelphusa Bott (Decapoda: Parathelphusidae) from Taiwan and the coastal regions of China, with notes on their biogeography. Invertebrate Systematics 21: 29–37.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shih, H.-T., P. K. L. Ng & H.-W. Chang, 2004. The systematics of the genus Geothelphusa (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura, Potamidae) from southern Taiwan: A molecular appraisal. Zoological Studies 43: 561–570.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sternberg, R. v. & N. Cumberlidge, 1999. A cladistic analysis of the genus Platythelphusa A. Milne-Edwards, 1887 from Lake Tanganyika, East Africa (Decapoda: Potamoidea: Platythelphusidae) with comments on the phylogenetic position of the group. Journal of Natural History 33: 493–511.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sternberg, R. v. & N. Cumberlidge, 2001. Notes on the position of the true freshwater crabs within the Brachyrhynchan Eubrachyura (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura). Hydrobiologia 449: 21–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sternberg, R. v., N. Cumberlidge & G. Rodríguez, 1999. On the marine sister groups of the freshwater crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 37: 19–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yeo, D. C. J. & P. K. L. Ng, 1998. Freshwater crabs of the Potamon tannanti species group (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura, Potamidae) of northern Indochina. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 46: 627–650.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeo, D. C. J. & P. K. L. Ng, 1999. The state of freshwater crab taxonomy in Indochina (Decapoda, Brachyura). In Schram, F. R. & J. C. von Vaupel Klein (eds), Crustaceans and the Biodiversity Crisis, Proceedings of the Fourth International Crustacean Congress, 1998, vol I, 637–646.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeo, D. C. J. & P. K. L. Ng, 2003. Recognition of two subfamilies in the Potamidae Ortmann, 1896 (Brachyura, Potamidae), with a note on the genus Potamon Savigny. Crustaceana 76: 1219–1235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yeo, D. C. J., H.-T. Shih, R. Meier & P. K. L. Ng, 2007. Phylogeny and biogeography of the freshwater crab genus Johora (Crustacea: Brachyura: Potamidae) from the Malay Peninsula, and the origins of its insular fauna. Zoologica Scripta 36: 255–269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Republic of Singapore

    Darren C. J. Yeo & Peter K. L. Ng

  2. Department of Biology, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI, 49855, USA

    Neil Cumberlidge

  3. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Caixa postal 478, 69011-970, Manaus Amazonas, Brazil

    Célio Magalhães

  4. Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa

    Savel R. Daniels

  5. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Apartado Aéreo, Bogota, 103698, Colombia

    Martha R. Campos

Authors
  1. Darren C. J. Yeo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Peter K. L. Ng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Neil Cumberlidge
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Célio Magalhães
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Savel R. Daniels
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Martha R. Campos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Darren C. J. Yeo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Belgian Biodiversity Platform, Freshwater Laboratory, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Vautierstraat 29, B-1000, Brussels, Belgium

    E. V. Balian  & H. Segers  & 

  2. Antenne IRD, MNHN-DMPA, 43 rue Cuvier, Case Postale 26, Paris cedex 05, 75231, France

    C. Lévêque

  3. Freshwater Laboratory, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Vautierstraat 29, B-1000, Brussels, Belgium

    K. Martens

  4. Department of Biology, University of Ghent, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, Gent, 9000, Belgium

    K. Martens

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2007 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Yeo, D.C.J., Ng, P.K.L., Cumberlidge, N., Magalhães, C., Daniels, S.R., Campos, M.R. (2007). Global diversity of crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) in freshwater. In: Balian, E.V., Lévêque, C., Segers, H., Martens, K. (eds) Freshwater Animal Diversity Assessment. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 198. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8259-7_30

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation