Two new species of freshwater crabs from Mount Elgon, East Africa (Brachyura: Potamoidea: Potamonautidae) and a re-diagnosis of Potamonautes niloticus (H. Milne Edwards, 1837) with notes on their natural history and onchocerciasis

Abstract

Two new species of potamonautid freshwater crabs from eastern Uganda, Africa are described, and Potamonautes niloticus (H. Milne Edwards, 1837) is re-diagnosed with key characters illustrated photographically. A total of four species of crabs are now known to occur on Mount Elgon, which borders both Kenya and Uganda. Two of these species are endemic to the mountain and the distribution patterns of all four species indicate a distinct altitudinal preference. All taxa are compared with similar species and their distributions and natural history are reviewed. Furthermore, three of the crabs recorded from Mount Elgon have been implicated in the transmission of onchocerciasis in East Africa.