Potamonemus sachsi

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	ARTHROPODA	CRUSTACEA	DECAPODA	POTAMONAUTIDAE

Scientific Name:

Potamonemus sachsi

Species Authority:

Cumberlidge, 1993

Common Name/s:

English

–

Sachs's Stream Crab

Taxonomic Notes:

This species was described by Cumberlidge (1993) with additional localities and ecological notes provided by Cumberlidge (1997, 1998, 1999).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Vulnerable B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) ver 3.1
Year Published:	2008
Assessor/s:	Cumberlidge, N.
Reviewer/s:	Clotilde-Ba, F.-L., Attipoe, F.Y.K., Darwall, W. and McIvor, A.
Justification: This species is currently known from specimens collected in between 1977 and 1984 from more than ten localities which are all closely-located in Nigeria and Cameroon and share common threats, so count as fewer than 10 locations. The extent of occurrence is estimated to be less than 20,000 sq km (VU B1a) with an area of occupancy that is estimated to be less than 2,000 sq km (VU B2a) due to its restriction to the wetland habitats within its range. Listed as Vulnerable because its extent of occurrence is less than 20,000 km² and it is known from less than 10 locations. General threats to the area include deforestation and habitat degradation due to increase in human populations, which are anticipated to be causing a decline in habitat area and quality.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is known only from the Bamenda highlands in southwest Cameroon, and from the neighboring Obudu plateau in southeast Nigeria, which is continuous with the Bamenda highlands.
Countries:	Native: Cameroon; Nigeria
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	There is no information available on the population size or abundance of this species.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	The Obudu plateau in Cross River State, southeast Nigeria is a steep-sided plateau some 1,000 m above sea level rising steeply out of the rainforest. This Nigerian highland region continues across the nearby border with Cameroon (where it is known as the Bamenda highlands). The climate on top of the plateau is cool and humid, and supports a tropical montane vegetation, including extensive grasslands. The streams and rivers where the specimens of P. sachsi from Nigeria were collected drain south into the Cross River, just to the east of the Nigeria-Cameroon border. These streams are about 2 m wide and 10 cm deep, with a medium flow, and a gravel-sand bed. The crabs were all caught by hand, from under boulders in stretches of the stream that were shaded by overhanging vegetation and the forest canopy.
Systems:	Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

The Obudu plateau in Cross River State, southeast Nigeria is a steep-sided plateau some 1,000 m above sea level rising steeply out of the rainforest. This Nigerian highland region continues across the nearby border with Cameroon (where it is known as the Bamenda highlands). The climate on top of the plateau is cool and humid, and supports a tropical montane vegetation, including extensive grasslands. The streams and rivers where the specimens of P. sachsi from Nigeria were collected drain south into the Cross River, just to the east of the Nigeria-Cameroon border. These streams are about 2 m wide and 10 cm deep, with a medium flow, and a gravel-sand bed. The crabs were all caught by hand, from under boulders in stretches of the stream that were shaded by overhanging vegetation and the forest canopy.

Systems:

Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The major present and future threats to this species include loss/degradation (human induced) of its stream habitat associated with deforestation and human population increases.

Major Threat(s):

The major present and future threats to this species include loss/degradation (human induced) of its stream habitat associated with deforestation and human population increases.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	No conservation measures are known to be in place for this species.

Conservation Actions:

No conservation measures are known to be in place for this species.

Citation:	Cumberlidge, N. 2008. Potamonemus sachsi. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 May 2012.
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