Description of Two New Species of the Burrowing Crayfish Genus Parastacus from Brazil
The newly described species Parastacus paulae and Parastacus mingusi are strong burrowers that can dig deep ramified tunnels on the wet soils of the swamp forests where their chimneys can be spotted. Mapping these species was important because both of them are endemic to small areas that are disturbed by anthropic activities. This paper presents a morphological description with photographs and illustrations of the specimens, as well as a comparative table and an updated identification key for the genus. Both species were classified as Endangered following the guidelines of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The names were chosen as tributes to Dr. Paula Beatriz Araujo, a highly accomplished and important crustacean researcher from Brazil, and Charles Mingus (1922-1979) a prolific musician. The genus Parastacus is now composed of 27 species.
Read the full article, here