Discovery of two new populations of the rare endemic freshwater crab Louisea yabassi Mvogo Ndongo, von Rintelen & Cumberlidge, 2019 (Brachyura: Potamonautidae) from the Ebo Forest near Yabassi in Cameroon, Central Africa, with recommendations for conservation action

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Pierre A. Mvogo Ndongo
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1581-2557
Thomas von Rintelen
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6253-3078
Christoph D. Schubart
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3341-6833
Paul F. Clark
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6862-3982
Kristina von Rintelen
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4167-3570
Alain Didier Missoup
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3018-9188
Christian Albrecht
Muriel Rabone
Efole Ewoukem
Joseph L. Tamesse
Minette Tomedi-Tabi Eyango
Neil Cumberlidge
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0568-6414

Abstract

The endemic freshwater crab, Louisea yabassi Mvogo Ndongo, von Rintelen & Cumberlidge, 2019, is currently only known from three populations in the biodiversity-rich rainforests of southwestern Cameroon.  The first record of L. yabassi dates back to 1908 from Yabassi, while the other two populations were discovered in December 2019 and March 2020 from the Ebo Forest near Yabassi.  These specimens were initially identified as L. edeaensis (Bott, 1969), but were subsequently assigned to L. yabassi.  The newly-discovered populations of L. yabassi provided important data on its habitat, population structure and geographical distribution, all critical knowledge for conservation measures.  Reported here are the anthropogenic threats to L. yabassi and its rainforest habitat, which include forest destruction, agricultural encroachment, water pollution and firewood collection.  This information is inherently useful in the assessment of the extinction risk of L. yabassi and highlights the importance of implementing strategies for preserving primary rainforest and its associated aquatic habitats in Central Africa.

Article Details

Section
Communications

References

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