Brown-shelled creature with ‘slim’ fingers found in Cameroon. It’s a new species
In a river of Cameroon, a brown-shelled creature with “slim” fingers went about its day — or tried to, at least. Scientists caught the clawed animal and discovered a new species.
Researchers visited dozens of sites in the west African country over a span of 10 years as part of a large-scale wildlife survey, according to a study published June 14 in the peer-reviewed journal Diversity. They were searching for crustaceans.
While visiting a river in 2015, researchers encountered several unfamiliar-looking crabs. They took a closer look at the animals and eventually realized they’d discovered a new species: Sudanonautes nkam, or the Nkam freshwater crab.
Nkam freshwater crabs are considered “medium”-sized, with their central body reaching about 1.6 inches in width and 1 inch in length, the study said. They have “wide,” “smooth” shells, “slim” fingers and “slender” legs.
A photo shows the blotchy brown coloring of a Nkam freshwater crab.
Nkam freshwater crabs live in a rainforest river. They are threatened by “habitat destruction, exploitation for human consumption, and detergents and other harmful chemicals from washing clothes,” the study said. “Regular searches” for the new species have found them increasingly difficult to locate.
Researchers said they named the new species after the Nkam River where it was discovered and so far, the only area where it has been found. This river stretches through southwestern Cameroon, a west African country bordering the Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria and the Republic of the Congo.
A YouTube video shared by NG Media Cameroon shows a set of waterfalls at the Nkam River.
The new species was identified by its size, body shape, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said. A DNA analysis found the new species had at least about 9% genetic divergence from other related crab species.
The research team included Pierre Mvogo Ndongo, Paul Clark, Thomas von Rintelen and Neil Cumberlidge.
The team also discovered three more new species: the Cameroon freshwater crab, Eyimba freshwater crab and Guinea savanna freshwater crab.
This story was originally published July 1, 2024 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Brown-shelled creature with ‘slim’ fingers found in Cameroon. It’s a new species."
