Potamonautes is a genus of African freshwater crabs in the family Potamonautidae.

It is both the most widespread and most diverse genus of African freshwater crabs, including more than half the species of this continent.

[2] They are found in most freshwater habitats of the African mainland and some species are semi-terrestrial.

Extinct species assigned to Potamonautes are also known from the Late Cretaceous of Niger.

[2] Although the genus includes common and widespread species, others have very restricted ranges of occurrence.