Potamonautes perlatus
Encyclopedia
Potamonautes perlatus, the Cape river crab is a species of crab
in the family Potamonautidae
.
Potamonautes perlatus is found in South Africa
, particularly in the Cape Province
. There are unconfirmed reports that it occurs in parts of Namibia. Its main habitat
is river
s, but it does occur widely in farm dams, where it often is regarded as a pest, with a propensity for digging tunnels in earth dams. It is doubtful that this is a serious problem in professionally engineered dams, but there may be occasional damage to small farming earthworks. Possibly because of its being primarily a river crab, when it lives in farm dams without direct connection to a stream, it has a tendency to migrate out of a dam during rainy periods, especially at night. It is not clear that losses from this habit reduce its numbers however, as its populations in stable dams seem to remain indefinitely.
Ecologically the species often is quite important, as it is a detritus shredder, a predator of small fish and amphibians, and a major prey item for large fish, otters, aquatic reptiles, and various other animals. It also is an intermediate host to various parasites.
Crab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
in the family Potamonautidae
Potamonautidae
Potamonautidae is a family of freshwater crabs endemic to tropical parts of Africa and adjacent islands, including Madagascar, the Seychelles, Zanzibar, Mafia, Pemba, Bioko, São Tomé, Príncipe and Sherbro Island. It comprises 18 extant genera and 138 extant species...
.
Potamonautes perlatus is found in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, particularly in the Cape Province
Cape Province
The Province of the Cape of Good Hope was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa...
. There are unconfirmed reports that it occurs in parts of Namibia. Its main habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
is river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
s, but it does occur widely in farm dams, where it often is regarded as a pest, with a propensity for digging tunnels in earth dams. It is doubtful that this is a serious problem in professionally engineered dams, but there may be occasional damage to small farming earthworks. Possibly because of its being primarily a river crab, when it lives in farm dams without direct connection to a stream, it has a tendency to migrate out of a dam during rainy periods, especially at night. It is not clear that losses from this habit reduce its numbers however, as its populations in stable dams seem to remain indefinitely.
Ecologically the species often is quite important, as it is a detritus shredder, a predator of small fish and amphibians, and a major prey item for large fish, otters, aquatic reptiles, and various other animals. It also is an intermediate host to various parasites.