Distributional patterns of the South American species of Parastacidae (Decapoda, Astacidea)

Abstract

Abstract The distributional patterns of the species of the South American freshwater crayfishes of the family Parastacidae were analysed using panbiogeographical track analyses to identify targeted regions of crayfish biodiversity for understanding biogeographical patterns. Two generalized tracks were identified using the track analysis approach: (1) Uruguay and Brazil (Parastacus brasiliensis, P. brasiliensis promatensis, P. buckupi, P. caeruleodactylus, P. defossus, P. fluviatilis, P. gomesae, P. guapo, P. macanudo, P. pilimanus, P. pilicarpus, P. saffordi, P. tuerkayi, P. varicosus); and (2) Central-southern Chile (P. nicoleti, P. pugnax, Samastacus spinifrons, Virilastacus araucanius, V. jarai, V. retamali and V. rucapihuelensis). These areas were exclusive, with no overlap between them. The results indicate the presence of South American Parastacidae crayfish in Atlantic coastal sub-tropical and Pacific coastal temperate wet climate regions with biogeographic similarities to other South American inland water decapods.