| Afrithelphusa | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Crustacea |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Infraorder: | Brachyura |
| Family: | Potamonautidae |
| Genus: | Afrithelphusa Bott, 1969 |
| Type species | |
| Afrithelphusa gerhildae Bott, 1969 |
|
Afrithelphusa is a genus of freshwater crabs in the family Potamonautidae. It contains four species,[1] all of which were formerly listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They are all endemic to the Upper Guinean forests of Guinea and Sierra Leone.
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Afrithelphusa afzelii (Colosi, 1924) is known from two specimens collected before 1800 from a single, unknown locality in Sierra Leone. Although formerly listed as critically endangered, the lack of information about this species has led to its reappraisal as Data Deficient.[2]
Afrithelphusa gerhildae Bott, 1969 is known from three specimens collected in 1957 in Kindia, Guinea. Although population sizes are not known, the expansion of slash and burn agriculture and deforestation are likely to have caused it to decline. The lack of information about this species has led to its reappraisal as Data Deficient.[3]
Afrithelphusa leonensis (Cumberlidge, 1987) is known from three specimens collected in 1955 at one loaclity in Guinea. Although formerly listed as critically endangered, the lack of information about this species has led to its reappraisal as Data Deficient.[4]
Afrithelphusa monodosa (Bott, 1959), the purple marsh crab, is the best known of the four species, new populations having been discovered since 1996. Despite this, fewer than 20 specimens have been collected, and the total population is likely to be less than 2,500. A. monodosa is now listed as endangered.[5]