Potamonautidae is a family of freshwater crabs endemic to Africa, including the islands of Madagascar, the Seychelles, Zanzibar, Mafia, Pemba, Bioko, São Tomé, Príncipe and Sherbro Island.[2] It comprises 18 extant genera and 138 extant species.[3] Fossil remains dating from the Late Miocene period have been attributed to the family Potamonautidae.[4]

Potamonautidae
Malagasy freshwater crab (Madagapotamon humberti), Ankarana Reserve, Madagascar
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Brachyura
Superfamily: Potamoidea
Family: Potamonautidae
Bott, 1970 [1]

It comprises the following subfamilies and genera:[3]

Deckeniinae Ortmann, 1897
Hydrothelphusinae Bott, 1955
Potamonautinae Bott, 1970

References

edit
  1. ^ "Potamonautidae". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
  2. ^ Neil Cumberlidge (2008). "Insular species of Afrotropical freshwater crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamonautidae and Potamidae) with special reference to Madagascar and the Seychelles". Contributions to Zoology. 77 (2): 71–81. Archived from the original on 2012-02-17. Retrieved 2009-01-21.
  3. ^ a b Sammy De Grave; N. Dean Pentcheff; Shane T. Ahyong; et al. (2009). "A classification of living and fossil genera of decapod crustaceans" (PDF). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. Suppl. 21: 1–109.
  4. ^ Joel W. Martin & S. Trautwein (2003). "Fossil crabs (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura) from Lothagam". In M. G. Leakey & J. M. Harris (eds.). Lothagam: The Dawn of Humanity in Eastern Africa (PDF). Columbia University Press. pp. 67–73.