Owing to the small sample sizes for P. niloticus, an interspecific comparison was only possible between P. aloysiisabaudiae and the unidentified species of Potamonautes from Rukwanzi Crater Lake. Differences were found between both the males and the females of these two species in two carapace proportions, carapace width and carapace height to front width. A Taxonomic Study and Cladistic Analysis of Three Species of Potamonautes from East Africa. Habitat fragmentation restricts the size of animal populations, which may reduce genetic diversity and population viability. Many ecosystems have been recently fragmented or are expected to become fragmented in the near future.
Fragmentation impedes migration and reduces the size of animal populations.
It is well established, theoretically and empirically, that reductions in population size and low rates of migration increase the rate at which genetic diversity is lost. Less certain is the effect of small population size and genetic depauperacy on population fitness. Current knowledge of the relationships between population size, genetic diversity, and fitness is limited largely to modeling exercises and studies of captive populations. We are looking for any correlations between population size, genetic diversity, survival and recruitment.