A COMMENT ON THE STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE GENUS PARATYLODIPLAX SERENE (BRACHYURA: OCYPODIDAE) IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

Summary

The ocypodid genus Paratylodiplax was described in 1974 and contains four species, three of which are endemic to southern Africa where they form an important component of the estuarine benthic fauna. However, very little is known about the biology and ecology of the genus, with discrepancies existing between the commonly quoted distributions and actual records of the species. This comment outlines the current taxonomic status of the genus and attempts to resolve the discrepancies in the distributions of the southern African species Paratylodiplax blephariskios has been recorded from the Morrumbene estuary in Mozambique to the Mngazana estuary in the eastern Cape, while the distributions of P. algoensis and P. edwardsii are given as being from the Mngazana to the Eerste estuary and Langebaan Lagoon in the western Cape respectively.

Keywords:

• Paratylodiplax
• Ocypodidae
• Brachyura
• taxonomy
• distribution
• southern Africa