| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANIMALIA | ARTHROPODA | CRUSTACEA | DECAPODA | POTAMONAUTIDAE |
| Scientific Name: | Afrithelphusa afzelii |
| Species Authority: | (Colosi, 1924) |
| Taxonomic Notes: | This species was redescribed by Bott (1969) and Cumberlidge (1999) as Afrithelphusa afzelii. This species is one of only five species in two genera that belong to a rare group of freshwater crabs endemic to the upper guinea forest block of West Africa. This genus was recently transferred from the Gecarcinucidae and reassigned to the Potamonautidae: Deckeniinae: Deckeniini: Globonautina by Cumberlidge et al. (2007). |
| Red List Category & Criteria: | Data Deficient 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 known only from a single locality in Sierra Leone. It is listed here as Data Deficient in view of the absence of further information on its extent of occurrence, ecological requirements, population size, population trends, and long-term threats. It is of great concern that this species is known only from two specimens that were collected in 1790–1800 from the same locality in Sierra Leone, and that no new specimens have come to light since then. However, there is not enough known about this species to make a thorough assessment at this time, so the conservation status of this species is changed here from CR to DD. Similarly, there is insufficient information on population size and trends to estimate actual population size (for criterion C) and there is a likely trend towards declining numbers due to increased habitat destruction relating to expanding human populations and more intensive agriculture, and political unrest in Sierra Leone. No quantitative analysis of the probability of extinction has been carried out to assess the species under criterion E, it is possible that this species may already be extinct. |
||||
| History: |
|
|||
| Range Description: | Sierra Leone: this species is known only from a single locality in Sierra Leone, and is therefore endemic to that country. |
| Countries: |
Native:
Sierra Leone
|
| Range Map: | Click here to open the map viewer and explore range. |
| Population: | This species is known only from two specimens. There is no information available on the population size or abundance of this species. |
| Population Trend: |
Unknown
|
| Habitat and Ecology: | The habitat and ecology of this species are not known because the collection locality is vague, and is listed only as "Sierra Leone". |
| Systems: | Freshwater |
| Major Threat(s): | The major present and future threats to this species include habitat loss/degradation (human induced) due to human population increases, more intensive agriculture, deforestation and political unrest which are ongoing in large areas of Sierra Leone. |
| Conservation Actions: | No conservation measures are known to be in place for this species. |
| Citation: | Cumberlidge, N. 2008. Afrithelphusa afzelii. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 26 May 2012. |
| Disclaimer: | To make use of this information, please check the <Terms of Use>. |
| Feedback: | If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided |
