Freshwater crabs in Lake Tanganyika, East Africa

4 October 2007

Most researchers interested in species flocks study the cichlid fish of the African Rift Valley Lakes. But one of these lakes, Lake Tanganyika, also harbours another endemic species flock: freshwater crabs. Saskia Marijnissen has conducted the first biodiversity survey to study endemic crabs. She has studied the evolutionary history and ecology of these crabs. Marijnissen used genetic markers to establish that the Tanganyikan crabs are very young in geological terms. Freshwater crabs of the genus Platythelphusa are an important part of the food web. However, these crabs will probably be affected by the continuing sedimentation of Lake Tangayika. This study helped to put crabs on the conservation map, and emphasised the relevance to policy makers of including invertebrates in surveys and management schemes.