Description of a new genus and new species of freshwater crab (Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae) from the Western Ghats, Kerala, India.

Sameer Kumar Pati,Arath Raghavan Sudha Devi

doi:10.1186/s40555-015-0112-0

Abstract

Freshwater crabs of the Western Ghats have been severely underestimated in their diversity.Since freshwater crabs have a small spatial scale endemism, many remote and poorly studied localities in the Western Ghats need to be surveyed. In this study, a new genus and new species is described. Arcithelphusa cochleariformis gen. et sp. nov. is described from Ondayangadi, Wayanad district, Kerala, India. The new genus and new species is exceptional among Indian freshwater crabs due to its squarish, highly arched carapace, appearing box-like in frontal view, and long, stout, spoon-shaped male first gonopod. With the current discovery, 14 genera and 36 species of gecarcinucid freshwater crabs are recognized in the Western Ghats of India. More new taxa can be expected from this exceptionally biodiversity-rich area if the necessary surveys are done.

Highlights

Freshwater crabs of the Western Ghats have been severely underestimated in their diversity
About 35 species of freshwater crabs under 13 genera were so far reported from the Western Ghats of India (Alcock 1910; Roux 1931; Bott 1970; Bahir and Yeo 2007; Pati and Sharma 2013, 2014a, b; Klaus et al 2014)
Since small spatial scale endemism is seen in freshwater crabs (Klaus et al 2014), many remote and poorly studied localities in the Western Ghats need to be surveyed

Summary

Introduction

Freshwater crabs of the Western Ghats have been severely underestimated in their diversity. Since freshwater crabs have a small spatial scale endemism, many remote and poorly studied localities in the Western Ghats need to be surveyed. The diversity of freshwater crabs is severely underestimated in the Western Ghats, a biodiversity ‘hotspot’ with exceptional freshwater diversity and endemism (Raghavan et al 2014) This fact is evident from the discovery of a new genus and five new species during the last few years (Pati and Sharma 2013, 2014a; Klaus et al 2014). Since small spatial scale endemism is seen in freshwater crabs (Klaus et al 2014), many remote and poorly studied localities in the Western Ghats need to be surveyed.

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion