Systematics of the Genus Geothelphusa (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura, Potamidae) from Southern Taiwan: A Molecular Appraisal

Abstract

Comparisons of the DNA sequences encoding part of the mitochondrial large subunit 16S rRNA gene showed that all 5 species constitute a single monophyletic clade distinct from species in nearby areas. The genetic and morphological differences among G. tawu, G. lanyu, and G. lutao are very small, and further studies may show that all 3 are conspecific. This is supported by the geological history of the area, with both islands having a vio-lent volcanic history, and the presence of freshwater crabs on the island must have been a relatively recent event (~500 000 years), and may even have been the result of human introduction. The phylogeographical pat-terns of the genus in southernmost Taiwan and adjacent areas were examined at the molecular level, and the