Potamon Explained

For other uses see Potamon (disambiguation).

Potamon is a genus of freshwater or semiterrestrial crabs mainly found from Southern Europe through the Middle East, and as far east as north-western India.^[1] The only exception is the North African P. algeriense, which also is the only potamid of mainland Africa. Twenty species are currently recognised.^{[2] [3]} These crabs are omnivores that have a broad ecological tolerance. The adult Potaman reach up to 50 mm in size during their 10-12 year life span.

• Potamon algeriense
• Potamon bileki
• Potamon bilobatum
• Potamon fluviatile
• Potamon gedrosianum
• Potamon hippocratis
• Potamon hueceste
• Potamon ibericum
• Potamon magnum
• Potamon mesopotamicum
• Potamon monticola
• Potamon pelops
• Potamon persicum
• Potamon potamios
• Potamon rhodium
• Potamon ruttneri
• Potamon setigerum
• Potamon strouhali
• Potamon transcaspicum
• Potamon ilam
• Potamon elbursi

Many other taxa from Indochina, originally described as species of Potamon, are now placed in other genera, such as Himalayapotamon, Beccumon, Eosamon, and Takpotamon.

Notes and References

1. . On the genus "Potamon" and allies in Indochina (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamidae) . Darren C. J. Yeo & Peter K. L. Ng . 2007 . Suppl. 16 . 273–308 .
2. Ruth Jesse, Christoph D. Schubart & Sebastian Klaus . 2010 . Identification of a cryptic lineage within Potamon fluviatile (Herbst) (Crustacea : Brachyura : Potamidae) . . 24 . 4 . 348–356 . 10.1071/IS10014.
3. Book: Keikhosravi. Alireza. Schubart. Christoph D.. Description of new freshwater crab species of the genus Potamon(Decapoda, Brachyura, Potamidae) from Iran, based on morphological and genetic characters . Advances in freshwater decapods systematics and biology . 2014. Daren C.J. Yeo . 115–133 . Brill . 978-9-0042-0760-8 .