Biodiversity surveys reveal eight new species of freshwater crabs (Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamidae) from Yunnan Province, China

Abstract

Yunnan Province is known to host the highest species diversity of the true freshwater crabs in China; 50 species have been recorded from the province by 2017. In 2004, our team conducted a biodiversity survey of the freshwater crabs in Yunnan Province to determine how well the diversity of crabs in the area has been characterized. We collected a total of 25 species, of which nine species proved to be new to science, and eight of which are described here. These include four species of the genus Indochinamon Yeo & Ng, 2007, two species of the genus Potamiscus Alcock, 1909, and one species each of the genera Pararanguna Dai & Chen, 1985, and Parvuspotamon Dai & Bo, 1994. The new species of Pararanguna and Parvuspotamon represent the second species of respective genera, which are here redefined. Detailed comparisons with morphologically allied species are provided. Photographs of the type specimens of their comparative species which are poorly illustrated in the literature are also provided to allow better understanding of their morphology. This study brings the number of the freshwater crabs of Yunnan Province to 58. Since about 13.8% of the number of species (eight out of 58 species) is increased by surveys conducted within a relatively short period, it is most probable that the species diversity of this group is still understudied in Yunnan Province.