Louisea balssi

[Melanie]

Lost species in Cameroon: rediscovery of the endangered freshwater crab,
Louisea balssi (Bott, 1959) (Brachyura: Potamonautidae), with notes on its ecology and conservation
PIERRE A. MVOGO NDONGO, THOMAS VON RINTELEN, CHRISTIAN ALBRECHT, JOSEPH L. TAMESSE, NEIL CUMBERLIDGE

Abstract

The rare and endangered Cameroonian potamonautid freshwater crab, Louisea balssi (Bott, 1959), was recently rediscovered after not having been seen for the last 109 years and presumed extinct. The new specimens of L. balssi were collected from the Southwest Region of Cameroon, about 80 km from the type locality, and include the first adult male to be recorded for this species. A redescription of L. balssi, which includes for the first time the adult characters of the male gonopods and chelipeds, is provided. New data on the habitat, population structure, and distribution of this species are also provided. Threats to the species and the implications to its conservation are discussed.

www.mapress.com/j/zt/article/view/zootaxa.4394.3.6

[Melanie]

Scientific Name: Louisea balssi Bott, 1959
Synonym(s):
Globonautes macropus Bott, 1959 ssp. balssi
Taxonomic Notes: Bott (1959) described this taxon as Globonautes balssi, and later as Globonautes macropus balssi. This species was revised by Cumberlidge (1994, 1998, 1999) as Louisea balssi.
Assessment Information [top]
Red List Category & Criteria: Endangered B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v) ver 3.1
Year Published: 2008
Date Assessed: 2008-01-01
Assessor(s): Cumberlidge, N.
Reviewer(s): Darwall, W. (IUCN Freshwater Biodiversity Assessment Unit), Pollock, C.M. (IUCN Red List Unit) and McIvor, A.
Justification:
This species is known only from four specimens from two localities in Cameroon and was last collected in 1909, when it was known by a different name. The same specimens have been reallocated to different taxonomic names over the years but this is the latest assignment. So this species has not been collected in 99 years. During this time there have been several collecting expeditions to this area of Cameroon (admittedly not necessarily intense surveys). So this species is possibly extinct, and is listed here as Endangered because it is only known from two locations, has a likelyextent of occurrenceof less than 5000 km², and its extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, extent of habitat, number of locations and number of individuals have presumably declined as it has not been found since in almost 100 years.
Geographic Range [top]
Range Description: Cameroon: Bamenda highlands.
Countries occurrence:
Native:
Cameroon
Additional data:
♦ Number of Locations: 2
Range Map: Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.
Population [top]
Population: Unknown.
Current Population Trend: Unknown
Additional data:
♦ Population severely fragmented: No
Habitat and Ecology [top]
Habitat and Ecology: Unknown.
Systems: Freshwater
Threats [top]
Major Threat(s): Unknown.
Conservation Actions [top]
Conservation Actions: None in place; not found in a protected area.

www.iucnredlist.org/details/134759/0

[surroundx]

Mvogo Ndongo, P. A., von Rintelen, T. and Cumberlidge, N. (2019). Taxonomic revision of the endemic Cameroonian freshwater crab genus Louisea Cumberlidge, 1994 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura, Potamonautidae), with descriptions of two new species from Nkongsamba and Yabassi. ZooKeys 881: 135-164.