Genus Potamonautes
South Africa is home to as many as 19 species of Freshwater Crab, all of them from the genus Potamonautes, and up to 14 of those species are not found in any other country, although the experts still differ on exactly how many species there are and what differentiates them from each other.
Potamonautes crabs are equally at home in cold or warm, deep or shallow, clear or murky and flowing or standing water and are a crucial part of healthy freshwater ecosystems; Freshwater Crabs aerate muddy substrate, break down detritus and control populations of micro-organisms while in turn being a source of food for a multitude of fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. Most species dig tunnels – often well hidden under rocks and logs and in certain species up to 70cm deep – in which they live an amphibious life, spending considerable time out of the water, especially at night.
Female crabs of this genus carry their fertilised eggs – up to 850 – and developing babies in a “purse” formed by their tail below their stomach, releasing them into the water when they are fully formed miniature crabs.
DeWetsWild 
Ek het sowaar nie geweet dat hulle soveel babas kan hê nie. Ek het ook lanklaas varswater krappe gesien. See krappe is volop hier by ons.
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Dit was vir my baie interessant om te sien hoeveel krappe daar in die skoon waters van die Langebaan Strandmeer leef, Aletta. Weliswaar was hulle nou nie varswater krappe nie, maar mens sou dink dat hulle maklike prooi sal wees as hulle so vinnig raakgesien kan word.
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Ek Kan dit dink, ons het nie baie by die strandmeer gekom nie, meestal net op ‘n afstand. My man en die son is nie maats nie, sy vel is die probleem.😌
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Mens mag nie met die Afrika-son kanse vat nie!
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Dis verseker.
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I have photographed a couple of freshwater crabs I have come across unexpectedly along the road that bypasses our town. They can look fierce when seen close up!
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And they wield those pincers with quite some skill, Anne! Better to look (and photograph) than touch!
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Dit vat my gadagtes ver terug na toe ek klein was. Het eenkeer per jaar naby Witrivier op ‘n plaas vakansie gehou toentertyd. Daar was n waterstroom naby die huis. Ons het daagliks probeer om krappe te vang. Hul is baie slim. Mens het hul nog nie gesien dan het hul al weer pad gegee. Baie dankie, weereens vir die interessante stukkie leesstof.
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Ek dink ook aan krappe as redelik intelligente goedjies, Ineke, en geniet dit vreeslik om hulle dop te hou!
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Hul is beslis baie vindingryk. Mal oor hulle met hul ogies op steeltjies.
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850 babies??? No thank you!! 🙂 We’re watching “Top Chef” and they just had a challenge where they had to make a crab dish. Timely. 🙂
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I’d rather watch crabs than eat them, even if they were prepared by a “Top Chef”… 😀
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