During the present study, possible convergent evolution among 18 species of the southern African freshwater crab genus Potamonautes (MacLeay, 1838) in three distinct ecotypes was explored. DNA sequence data derived from three mitochondrial loci and one nuclear locus were used to construct a phylogeny generated with maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference approaches. The resultant phylogeny was subsequently compared to morphometric data derived from carapace and pereiopod variables. The three ecotypes, large-bodied riverine/lowland, small-bodied mountain stream, and burrowing species, were present throughout the phylogeny. When data for species belonging to the three aforementioned ecotypes are grouped, mountain stream living and burrowing species overlapped, while riverine/lowland species are morphometrically distinct. Convergence in morphological traits was assessed using ancestral state reconstruction, principal component analysis, phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS), and convergence similarity (C1, C2, and w) analyses. Convergent similarity analysis elucidated convergent morphological adaptations within each ecological grouping, with each ecotype demonstrating a significant degree of convergence. Interestingly, the PGLS analysis corroborated ecotype classification as important for species' differences, irrespective of phylogeny. These findings highlight convergent evolution in response to habitat pressures. The present study, the first of its kind on freshwater crabs, suggests that taxonomic features, such as carapace and pereiopod characters, may have obscured evolutionary relationships.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) enables sensitive detection of species from environmental samples, particularly water. Large-scale, standardized monitoring of coastal fish communities remains challenging across diverse regions. The ANEMONE Global network was established to address this gap, expanding the workflow developed in Japan to a coordinated worldwide survey using standardized eDNA metabarcoding. Between June and November 2024, 12 countries, including several in Southeast Asia, collected surface water samples from beaches, rocky shores, estuaries, and near coastal protective structures using harmonized protocols for filtration, RNAlater preservation, and metadata recording. Daytime and nighttime sampling captured temporal variation in community composition. All samples were processed with the MiFish metabarcoding protocol, quantitative internal standards, and rigorous contamination controls. Analysis of 90 samples generated over 16.6 million high-quality reads, revealing more than 500 putative fish OTUs across diverse families, genera, and species. Species richness varied geographically, reflecting differences in fish fauna, and assemblages differed across the Atlantic, Indian, North Pacific, and South Pacific Oceans. Diel variation was most pronounced in the North Pacific, and diversity patterns reflected both habitat complexity and ocean basin, with waters adjacent to coastal protective structures and rocky shores supporting the highest diversity. These findings highlight how both habitat complexity and ocean basin geography shape coastal fish assemblages, offering insights for global marine biodiversity monitoring using eDNA. This survey demonstrates that a globally standardized eDNA workflow can generate comparable quality data across ecological and logistical contexts. By combining international collaboration, open data, and locally informed implementation, ANEMONE Global provides a framework for long-term, high-resolution monitoring of coastal biodiversity and sets the stage for expanding coverage to additional aquatic ecosystems worldwide.

In South Africa, mangrove forests and seagrass meadows often co-occur in estuarine systems and in combination host rich, often endemic biodiversity. There is an urgent need to explore community diversity in coastal vegetated ecosystems, given the degrading effects of climate change and anthropogenic pressures. Environmental DNA metabarcoding is a promising biomonitoring tool in South African coastal ecosystems, although studies highlight the need to optimise and standardise sampling protocols. This study aimed to contribute to developing sampling protocols by understanding the applicability of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding within coastal vegetated habitats and by investigating diversity using two different sample types. Aquatic and sedimentary environmental DNA samples from three estuaries along the east coast of South Africa, in combination with MiFish metabarcoding, detected 148 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) representing 67 fish genera from 50 families, although only 16% were resolved to species. We observed that aquatic eDNA samples detected 97% of the total fish diversity, suggesting that this is an efficient tool to comprehensively detect ichthyofaunal diversity. We did not detect different fish communities between mangroves and seagrasses and our findings underscore the importance of taking hydrological connectivity into consideration for sampling design. Overall, our work reinforces key considerations for future eDNA metabarcoding studies focused on fish fauna in estuaries, and therefore contributes to optimising sampling protocols to support the biomonitoring of coastal biodiversity.

We used field survey data of newly collected freshwater crabs (Potamonautes MacLeay, 1838) from South Africa, combined with sequence data for cytochrome oxidase one (COI) from Afrotropical freshwater crabs to examine the application and the use of barcoding gap. We examined intra and interspecific and intrageneric sequence distances in Afrotropical species and genera. On average uncorrected intraspecific COI sequence distance values of 1.97% and a range of 0.39-4.97% were recovered, while on average uncorrected interspecific COI distance values in the region of 8.76% was detected and a range of 0.22-18.65%. Within the species complexes the mean uncorrected distance was 10.32% and ranged 6.51-15.08%. We observed a mean interspecific sequence-distance value of 6.57% ranging 0.22-12.93% between the 32 southern African Potamonautes sister species pairs. Furthermore, in Potamonautidae Bott, 1970 the mean genetic distance for the COI locus was twice that reported in Deckeniidae Ortmann, 1897. We advocate caution in the use of COI distance values to identify novel lineages since we observed considerable overlap between intra and interspecific distance values. The species complexes we observed were geographically widespread, some were confined to mountainous regions and traversed distinct biogeographic regions, and to date remained poorly studied and require further taxonomic scrutiny. While the COI locus is useful for identifying species range extensions, good reference sequence-data libraries are required, and this may be particularly problematic in poorly surveyed areas or where species complexes are present. We ultimately argue in an Afrotropical context for the inclusion of morphological characters to describe novel diversity alongside the DNA sequencing of this material to build a COI data library.

Mangroves in South Africa occur at a southern latitudinal limit (33 degrees 12 ' 51 '' S, 27 degrees 34 ' 54 '' E) where distribution is influenced by global climate change. Mangroves are experiencing poleward expansion, affecting the distribution of associated macrofauna. Monitoring surveys have been conducted for South African mangrove macrofauna, with research focusing on drivers of ocypodid crabs rather than grapsoid crabs, despite the key role of grapsoids in this ecosystem. Using uni- and multivariate models, we investigated (i) changes in brachyuran community over time (2016 vs 2023), (ii) the potential biotic (food availability, brachyuran diversity and abundance) and abiotic (sediment, water and geographic parameters) factors influencing occurrence and abundance of three co-occurring mangrove crabs (Austruca occidentalis, Neosarmatium africanum and Cristarma eulimene) along the east coast of South Africa, and (iii) the potential distribution of these three species under climate change scenarios. Brachyuran community structure changed significantly over time (2016-2023) at all mangrove sites sampled (df = 1, pseudo-f = 13.95, p < 0.05). Overall, the presence and abundance of all three species were influenced by total brachyuran abundance and diversity, with latitude also influencing the occurrence of these crabs. Specifically, A. occidentalis occurrence was correlated with sediment organic matter and importance values of mangrove tree species to forest structure, while temperature, salinity and sediment moisture influenced their abundance. The presence and abundance of both sesarmids were driven by microphytobenthos and salinity, while temperature influenced abundance. Both climate change scenarios (SSP245 and SSP585) projected future shifts in distribution of all three crab species, with warmer temperatures and increased rainfall patterns expanding habitat suitability of sesarmids in a poleward direction while contracting fiddler crab ranges. This study highlights the ongoing and future impacts of climate change in South African mangroves and their associated macrofauna, suggesting a projected poleward expansion in response to climate change. Additionally, this study highlights future distributional shifts of mangrove associated crabs that can likely alter coastal ecosystem dynamics.

During the present study, the evolutionary relationship within a clade of mountain clade of freshwater crabs ( Potamonautes ) was examined using mtDNA sequence data for species from the Cape Fold Mountain (CFM) and Great Escarpment (Drakensberg Mountain range). We undertook phylogenetic analyses, divergence time estimation, and an ancestral area reconstruction to explore the period of cladogenesis and understand the biogeographic history in this high‐altitude clade. Furthermore, we applied four species delimitation methods using ASAP, bPTP, bGMYC, and STACEY on the latter clade. Bayesian phylogenetic analyses retrieved a monophyletic freshwater crab clade comprised of two major sister clades, one comprised of the Cape Fold (clade A) and two comprised of Drakensberg Mountains (clade B) species. Divergence time estimation indicated that the two clades underwent Mio/Pliocene cladogenesis. Within the CFM clade (A), P. amathole (Amathola Mountains) was sister to P. parvispina (Cederberg and Kouebokkeveld Mountains) and the latter species were sister to P. parvicorpus (Cape Peninsula, Jonkershoek, and Helderberg Mountains) sister to P. tuerkayi (Overberg Mountains) and P. brincki (Hottentots Holland Mountains). Within the Drakensberg Mountain clade (B), we observed in situ diversification. Specimens from the southcentral Drakensberg Mountains (Dargle Forest, Injasuti, Karkloof, and Impendle) represent a new undescribed lineage Potamonautes sp. nov. 1. The second clade from the northern Drakensberg, representing P. clarus , was sister to a central Drakensberg Mountain clade that comprised P. depressus that was in turn sister to P. baziya from the Eastern Cape Province. The application of species delimitation methods generally overestimated the number of species. The biogeographic analyses indicated that the Eastern Cape Province is the most likely ancestral range area. Ecological niche modelling of representative species in clades A (Cape Fold Mountains) and B (Drakensberg Mountains) demonstrated that temperature and rainfall were the major abiotic drivers that differentiated the two clades. Our data favours the mountain gradient speciation hypothesis.

Abstract During the present study, the evolutionary relationship within a clade of mountain clade of freshwater crabs (Potamonautes) was examined using mtDNA sequence data for species from the Cape Fold Mountain (CFM) and Great Escarpment (Drakensberg Mountain range). We undertook phylogenetic analyses, divergence time estimation, and an ancestral area reconstruction to explore the period of cladogenesis and understand the biogeographic history in this high‐altitude clade. Furthermore, we applied four species delimitation methods using ASAP, bPTP, bGMYC, and STACEY on the latter clade. Bayesian phylogenetic analyses retrieved a monophyletic freshwater crab clade comprised of two major sister clades, one comprised of the Cape Fold (clade A) and two comprised of Drakensberg Mountains (clade B) species. Divergence time estimation indicated that the two clades underwent Mio/Pliocene cladogenesis. Within the CFM clade (A), P. amathole (Amathola Mountains) was sister to P. parvispina (Cederberg and Kouebokkeveld Mountains) and the latter species were sister to P. parvicorpus (Cape Peninsula, Jonkershoek, and Helderberg Mountains) sister to P. tuerkayi (Overberg Mountains) and P. brincki (Hottentots Holland Mountains). Within the Drakensberg Mountain clade (B), we observed in situ diversification. Specimens from the southcentral Drakensberg Mountains (Dargle Forest, Injasuti, Karkloof, and Impendle) represent a new undescribed lineage Potamonautes sp. nov. 1. The second clade from the northern Drakensberg, representing P. clarus, was sister to a central Drakensberg Mountain clade that comprised P. depressus that was in turn sister to P. baziya from the Eastern Cape Province. The application of species delimitation methods generally overestimated the number of species. The biogeographic analyses indicated that the Eastern Cape Province is the most likely ancestral range area. Ecological niche modelling of representative species in clades A (Cape Fold Mountains) and B (Drakensberg Mountains) demonstrated that temperature and rainfall were the major abiotic drivers that differentiated the two clades. Our data favours the mountain gradient speciation hypothesis.

Salt marsh productivity has historically been viewed as being driven primarily by bottom-up processes, but recent studies in North America, Europe, Asia and South America have shown that top-down forces by grazers also structure marsh vegetation. This generality of grazing pressure has not been tested to date in African salt marshes. Here, we investigated whether dominant crabs in South Africa’s estuarine marshes consume live plants and whether that interaction has direct effects on the foundational species Spartina maritima. We employed natural surveys, lab feeding trials, diet analysis and field experiments. Although we found no significant relationships between crabs and marsh plant structure in surveys, gut contents and stable isotope analysis showed that S. maritima is present but not prominent in their diet. All S. maritima components were consumed. Manipulation of crab density and size structure in the field (crabs >5 mm excluded) revealed small effects on S. maritima stem density and aboveground biomass compared to controls. Combined, this research demonstrates that crabs in these South African marshes do indeed eat live cordgrass, and their effects appear to be density dependent. Top-down impacts on marsh plants were not detected by natural density correlations, probably due to the different scales at which data were collected compared to field experiments. These results establish that grazing of live foundational marsh plants is globally common. Future studies in these systems should manipulate crab density through addition experiments or predator exclusions to understand the impact of crabs at high densities and what forces regulate their populations.

Kelp forests along the southwestern and west coasts of South Africa, dominated by the species Ecklonia maxima and Laminaria pallida , are locally termed ‘the Great African Seaforest’. They form 3-dimensional biogenic habitats that provide 4 distinct microhabitats—canopy, fronds, stipe and holdfast—with the latter typically supporting the highest abundance and diversity of associated macroinvertebrates. The macrofauna inhabiting kelp holdfasts in South Africa have rarely been studied, resulting in a near complete lack of baseline data. In this study, macrobenthic assemblages from 40 E. maxima holdfasts were examined over 2 marine ecoregions and 4 locations. Macroinvertebrates were identified and counted for univariate and multivariate analyses using family-level data. A total of 120 families from 9 phyla were identified and were generally dominated by Arthropoda (48 families), Annelida (24 families) and Mollusca (23 families). Marine ecoregion had no significant effect on composition of macroinvertebrate assemblages, whereas location had a significant effect. There was no significant relationship between holdfast volume and macroinvertebrate diversity or abundance, suggesting that other environmental and physicochemical factors are important in determining community structure. This study serves as a baseline for future research aimed at understudied holdfast macroinvertebrate communities in the Great African Seaforest.

Mangroves of the Agulhas is a regional ecosystem subgroup (Level 4 unit of the IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology). It includes the marine ecoregions of Agulhas Bank and KwaZulu-Natal that extend along the South African eastern coastline. The extent of the Agulhas mangroves in 2023 is 23.0 km2, representing 0.02% of the global mangrove area. Mangroves in this province are limited to 31 estuaries which provide sheltered conditions as mangroves do not occur along the open coastline. The biota is characterized by three species of true mangroves, and 88 associated animal species. The Agulhas province mangroves are classified as terrigenous sedimentary. Natural drivers of extent and distribution include sedimentation, floods, mouth dynamics, storm surges, marine sediment deposition and propagule distribution. The ecosystem is threatened by anthropogenic pressures including urban and industrial development, harvesting for wood, livestock browsing and trampling, restriction of tidal exchange by infrastructure, freshwater abstraction causing estuary mouth closures and lower salinity, and pollution (plastics, heavy metals, oils, fungal pathogens, and coal dust). Under climate change, an increased frequency of tropical storms poses additional risks to mangrove survival due to sediment deposition, estuary mouth closures and back-flooding. The mangrove net area change has been positive since the 1970s (+51.5%), mainly due to flow modifications and an artificial mouth opening in the Mhalthuze Estuary, which contributes ~62.5% of the total mangrove area. Natural regeneration of mangroves has occurred in some estuaries previously impacted by mouth closure related to sea storms. There are also signs of a poleward shift to southern latitudes. However, the ecosystem has collapsed in 11 estuaries since the 1930s due to development, mouth closures and inundation of mangrove stands along with sediment deposition following floods. Similar losses are expected to increase under predicted climate change scenarios. Since mangrove stands are limited laterally by development, future sea-level rise will result in permanent losses. Overall, the status of the Agulhas mangrove ecosystem is assessed as Endangered (EN).

During the present study, the evolutionary relationship within a clade of mountain clade of freshwater crabs (Potamonautes) was examined using mtDNA sequence data for species from the Cape Fold Mountain (CFM) and Great Escarpment (Drakensberg Mountain range). We undertook phylogenetic analyses, divergence time estimation, and an ancestral area reconstruction to explore the period of cladogenesis and understand the biogeographic history in this high-altitude clade. Furthermore, we applied four species delimitation methods using ASAP, bPTP, bGMYC, and STACEY on the latter clade. Bayesian phylogenetic analyses retrieved a monophyletic freshwater crab clade comprised of two major sister clades, one comprised of the Cape Fold (clade A) and two comprised of Drakensberg Mountains (clade B) species. Divergence time estimation indicated that the two clades underwent Mio/Pliocene cladogenesis. Within the CFM clade (A), P. amathole (Amathola Mountains) was sister to P. parvispina (Cederberg and Kouebokkeveld Mountains) and the latter species were sister to P. parvicorpus (Cape Peninsula, Jonkershoek, and Helderberg Mountains) sister to P. tuerkayi (Overberg Mountains) and P. brincki (Hottentots Holland Mountains). Within the Drakensberg Mountain clade (B), we observed in situ diversification. Specimens from the southcentral Drakensberg Mountains (Dargle Forest, Injasuti, Karkloof, and Impendle) represent a new undescribed lineage Potamonautes sp. nov. 1. The second clade from the northern Drakensberg, representing P. clarus, was sister to a central Drakensberg Mountain clade that comprised P. depressus that was in turn sister to P. baziya from the Eastern Cape Province. The application of species delimitation methods generally overestimated the number of species. The biogeographic analyses indicated that the Eastern Cape Province is the most likely ancestral range area. Ecological niche modelling of representative species in clades A (Cape Fold Mountains) and B (Drakensberg Mountains) demonstrated that temperature and rainfall were the major abiotic drivers that differentiated the two clades. Our data favours the mountain gradient speciation hypothesis.

During the present study, the evolutionary relationship within a clade of mountain clade of freshwater crabs (Potamonautes) was examined using mtDNA sequence data for species from the Cape Fold Mountain (CFM) and Great Escarpment (Drakensberg Mountain range). We undertook phylogenetic analyses, divergence time estimation, and an ancestral area reconstruction to explore the period of cladogenesis and understand the biogeographic history in this high-altitude clade. Furthermore, we applied four species delimitation methods using ASAP, bPTP, bGMYC, and STACEY on the latter clade. Bayesian phylogenetic analyses retrieved a monophyletic freshwater crab clade comprised of two major sister clades, one comprised of the Cape Fold (clade A) and two comprised of Drakensberg Mountains (clade B) species. Divergence time estimation indicated that the two clades underwent Mio/Pliocene cladogenesis. Within the CFM clade (A), P. amathole (Amathola Mountains) was sister to P. parvispina (Cederberg and Kouebokkeveld Mountains) and the latter species were sister to P. parvicorpus (Cape Peninsula, Jonkershoek, and Helderberg Mountains) sister to P. tuerkayi (Overberg Mountains) and P. brincki (Hottentots Holland Mountains). Within the Drakensberg Mountain clade (B), we observed in situ diversification. Specimens from the southcentral Drakensberg Mountains (Dargle Forest, Injasuti, Karkloof, and Impendle) represent a new undescribed lineage Potamonautes sp. nov. 1. The second clade from the northern Drakensberg, representing P. clarus, was sister to a central Drakensberg Mountain clade that comprised P. depressus that was in turn sister to P. baziya from the Eastern Cape Province. The application of species delimitation methods generally overestimated the number of species. The biogeographic analyses indicated that the Eastern Cape Province is the most likely ancestral range area. Ecological niche modelling of representative species in clades A (Cape Fold Mountains) and B (Drakensberg Mountains) demonstrated that temperature and rainfall were the major abiotic drivers that differentiated the two clades. Our data favours the mountain gradient speciation hypothesis.

Mangroves are expanding polewards due to global change, often encroaching into adjacent temperate saltmarshes. In both vegetated ecosystems, brachyurans are responsible for ecological processes and functions such as nutrient cycling and sediment bioturbation. South African mangroves occur at a latitudinal limit and are establishing further south due to past planting events and global change, making these ideal study systems for the effects of mangrove expansion and encroachment. Here, we investigated the effect of mangrove encroachment on brachyuran community composition at two saltmarsh sites with planted mangrove stands of different ages. Transects were laid perpendicular to each estuary where three habitat types were demarcated (mangrove, ecotone, saltmarsh). Sediment samples were collected for analyses and quadrats were used to measure pneumatophore density, saltmarsh cover, and brachyuran abundance and diversity. We found that brachyuran community structure at each site has significantly changed over seven years, with two mangrove-associated fiddler crab species, Tubuca urvillei and Paraleptuca chlorophthalmus, now recorded at the younger planted site, indicating a new southern distributional limit. Community structure was also significantly different amongst habitat types (p < 0.05) with Parasesarma catenatum dominating saltmarshes while Danielella edwardsii was more prominent in mangroves. However, community composition did not differ significantly between the two (differently aged) sites (p > 0.05). Pneumatophore density had a proportional relationship with crab abundance, diversity and richness, while saltmarsh cover had an inversely proportional relationship with crab abundance, diversity and richness. It is likely that as mangroves continue to expand into saltmarshes, more mangrove-associated species will move into saltmarshes, potentially altering ecosystem processes in this unique habitat.

To support and scale up global restoration efforts, the United Nations (UN) has proclaimed 2021–2030 the “UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.” The Decade offers significant opportunities for and challenges to restoration, in particular for Africa, a continent that has a large need and potential for restoration. We thus argue that the Decade must be a success in and for Africa, and for this to happen, opportunities and challenges to achieving its goals must be promptly identified, and considered in the planning and implementation of restoration. Here, we outline six key areas that should be considered at a strategic level by African countries during the Decade. These are: (1) ensuring effective oversight and governance relevant to Africa; (2) translating the goals to meet the African context; (3) making the case for restoration amid multiple development demands; (4) growing an African restoration community of practice based on regional need; (5) collaborating to improve restoration outcomes; and (6) establishing an Africa‐relevant evidence base for restoration. We believe that these six key areas—even though they are not all novel—are currently not addressed at a level that matches the scale of the problem on the continent. Although the specific actions to be taken under each key area are dependent on the restoration context, integrating these key areas in the planning and implementation of restoration efforts will likely lead to improved restoration outcomes during the Decade.

Mangroves are highly productive ecosystems that provide a variety of ecosystem services to local communities. Mangrove ecosystems are important blue carbon ecosystems that support unique fauna, flora, and livelihoods. The decline and degradation of mangrove populations, mostly due to anthropogenic impacts and climate change, necessitate protection worldwide. There is limited research on the conservation and management of these ecosystems in Mozambique. A combination of six biodiversity surveys, thirty-one semi-structured interviews and participant observation at six sites was used to describe and understand mangrove ecosystems in Inhambane Bay. This study is among the first to involve local community leaders as academic co-authors, thus highlighting the value of local ecological knowledge and community involvement, both of which are necessary for a comprehensive understanding of mangrove ecosystems. Social and ecological approaches were integrated to describe mangrove ecosystems, perceived ecosystem services and benefits to local communities. This study has identified areas of increased mangrove cover and areas with disturbance. Out of the seven mangrove species that occur in Inhambane Bay, Avicennia marina was the most abundant mangrove species in at least three sites, and Xylocarpus granatum the least abundant mangrove species, present only in two sites. Perceived benefits include provisioning, supporting and regulating services. Community initiatives to protect mangroves include enforcing environmental laws, prohibiting cutting mangrove trees, and replanting. This study shows that community initiatives for law enforcement and mangrove restoration play an important role in raising awareness and actively protecting mangroves.

Species detection using environmental DNA (eDNA) is a biomonitoring tool that can be widely applied to mangrove restoration and management. Compared to traditional surveys that are taxa-specific and time-consuming, eDNA metabarcoding offers a rapid, non-invasive and cost-efficient method for monitoring mangrove biodiversity and characterising the spatio-temporal distribution of multiple taxa simultaneously. General guidelines for eDNA metabarcoding are well-established for aquatic systems, but habitat-specific guidelines are still lacking. Mangrove habitats, as priority ecosystems for restoration in Southeast Asia, present unique prospects and challenges in these regards. Environmental DNA metabarcoding can be used to (1) track functional recovery in ecological restoration, (2) prioritise conservation areas, (3) provide early warning for threats, (4) monitor threatened taxa, (5) monitor response to climate change, and (6) support community-based restoration. However, these potential applications have yet been realized in Southeast Asia due to (1) technical challenges, (2) lack of standardised methods, (3) spatio-temporal difficulties in defining community, (4) data limitations, and (5) lack of funding, infrastructure and technical capacity. Successful implementation of eDNA metabarcoding in mangrove restoration activities would encourage the development of data-driven coastal management and equitable conservation programs. Eventually, this would promote Southeast Asia’s shared regional interests in food security, coastal defence and biodiversity conservation.

A new species of freshwater crab, Potamonautes amathole sp. nov., is described from the WinterbergAmathole mountain range in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Morphologically, P. amathole Peer & Gouws, sp. nov. most closely resembles P. tuerkayi but can be distinguished by key morphological characters including the variation in the shape of the subterminal segment of gonopod 2 between both species. Genetically, P. amathole Peer & Gouws, sp. nov. is placed within the clade of small-bodied, mountaindwelling crabs including P. parvispina, P. parvicorpus, P. brincki, P. tuerkayi, P. baziya, and P. depressus. The new species is found in slow-moving mountain streams and pools at high altitudes. The continued discovery and description of new freshwater crab species reinforces the need for ongoing research, especially in under-sampled regions.

Microplastic (MP) prevalence has been well documented, however, knowledge gaps exist for African mangrove forests. This research is the first to compare MP pollution (using FT-IR analysis) in an urban (Durban Bay) and peri-urban (Mngazana Estuary) mangrove forest in South Africa, across different compartments. MP pollution (typology, abundance, and distribution) was quantified in estuarine surface water, sediment and the soft tissue of three keystone species (Austruca occidentalis, Chiromantes eulimene and Cerithidea decollata) in relation to disturbances acting on these systems. MP averages ranged from 99 to 82 MPs/kg sediment, 177 to 76 MPs/L water and 82 to 59 MP/g(-1) DW in biota. Overall fibres were the dominant MP type across all compartments. The three invertebrate species exhibited MP bioaccumulation, however, significant differences were observed between MP concentrations in the soft body tissue of invertebrates and abiotic compartments, providing evidence that they are not effective biomonitors of MP pollution.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in South Africa have a long history with currently 5% of the mainland’s ocean territory protected. The MPAs are celebrated and appreciated for their representative coverage of several habitat types and their ecological benefits. However, the story of correlational coastal community exclusion is not one that is often told in the ‘success’ story of South African MPAs. In this review we describe the history of marine conservation in South Africa and examine how the legislation and motivation has evolved since Apartheid. While legislation provides direction in terms of community inclusion, this is rarely the reality as we explore with five case studies. We go on to discuss how top-down governance continues to exclude communities and suggest key lessons drawn from our case-studies that could lead to a more community-involved approach to the ongoing protection and management of our marine habitats for greater conservation success.