Tuesday, May 6, 2025

[Crustacea • 2025] Louisea cataracta • A New Species of Louisea Cumberlidge, 1994 (Brachyura: Potamonautidae: Liberonautinae), A Freshwater Crab from the Ekom-Nkam Waterfall, Cameroon

 

Louisea cataracta 
Ndongo, Rintelen, Clark & Cumberlidge, 2025  
     

 Abstract
A new species of Louisea Cumberlidge, 1994 (Brachyura: Potamonautidae: Liberonautinae) is described from the Nkam River below the Ekom Nkam Waterfalls, near Melong (5.06__°N, 10.03__°E), in the tropical rainforests of Cameroon. The new species is recognized by a unique combination of characters of the carapace, thoracic sternum, and male cheliped, and is supported as a separate lineage by a phylogenetic analysis of species of Louisea based on mtDNA (COI and 16S rRNA). Notes are provided on the ecology and the conservation of Louisea cataracta sp. nov..

Crustacea, Central Africa, taxonomy, Louisea cataracta n. sp., ecology, conservation 

 Louisea cataracta sp. nov.
A, Ekom-Nkam Waterfalls, the type locality. B, adult male holotype, CW 17.5 mm, Ekom-Nkam Waterfalls, Cameroon, ZMB Crust. 33410: whole animal, dorsal view. 

Louisea cataracta sp. nov. adult male holotype, CW 17.5 mm, Ekom-Nkam Waterfalls, Cameroon, ZMB Crust.33410:
A, carapace, frontal view; B, whole animal, dorsal view showing natural colour; C, cephalothorax, ventral view; D,carapace, dorsal view. 
 
Louisea cataracta n. sp.

Etymology. The species name, cataracta, is derived from the Latin for waterfall in reference to the Ekom Nkam waterfalls where the specimens were collected. The specific epithet is used as a Latin noun in apposition. 


Pierre A. Mvogo NDONGO, Thomas Von RINTELEN, Paul F. CLARK and Neil CUMBERLIDGE. 2025. A New Species of Louisea Cumberlidge, 1994, A Freshwater Crab from the Ekom-Nkam Waterfall, Cameroon (Brachyura: Potamonautidae: Liberonautinae).  Zootaxa. 5590(1); 113-123. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5590.1.6 [2025-02-20]