New records of Trichodactylus fluviatilis Latreille, 1828 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Trichodactylidae) in Southeastern Brazil

Abstract

Freshwater crabs play important ecological roles in lotic ecosystems, occupying different trophic levels and participating in the detritus food chain. Trichodactylus fluviatilis is a freshwater crab that occurs along the Brazilian coast and inland portions of southeastern Brazil. This species occurs in rivers and in coastal and mountain streams up to more than 1,100 m above sea level. Herein we report the occurrence of T. fluviatilis in one of the largest Atlantic Forest remnants located on flat terrain, which contains one of the most threatened vegetation types found within this biodiversity hotspot. We collected one adult female and 15 juveniles over four sampling occasions between February and September 2015. These records extend the number of locations where the presence of T. fluviatilis was confirmed and contribute to the knowledge about the geographical distribution of this species in Espírito Santo state and in the Atlantic Forest. This information will prove valuable in refining distribution maps and assessing the species' threatened status, aiding in the formulation of wildlife conservation strategies for streams in the Atlantic Forest.