Conservation of imperiled crayfish species - Cambarus veteranus (Decapoda: Cambaridae)
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Journal of Crustacean Biology↗
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Dungeness crab, Cancer magister , do not extrude eggs annually in southeastern Alaska: An in situ study
The reproductive biology of female Dungeness crabs was studied with crab-pot and dive-transect sampling in five bays within or near Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, southeastern Alaska, in April and September yearly from 1992 to 1998. A large percentage of nonovigerous, mature females was found in April, a time when females were expected to be brooding eggs that hatch in May and June. Our study examined differences between ovigerous and nonovigerous females collected in April and September samples to corroborate our previous laboratory study in which we found nonannual egg extrusion among Dungeness crabs. Seasonal differences in the catches of ovigerous and nonovigerous females, crab sizes, shell condition, and appendage injury were examined. Additionally, all crabs collected from two bays were tagged beginning in the fall of 1995; tagging was conducted twice annually. Our pot and dive data indicate that females, particularly larger ones, do not extrude eggs annually. Larger females have lower molting probabilities, which limits mating potential and increases reliance on stored sperm. The tagging study confirmed that at least some females do not extrude eggs in one year and then extrude eggs at a later time without molting, thus skipping at least one reproductive season. A reproductive cycle of Dungeness crabs in Alaska is introduced which includes earlier egg extrusion by larger females and nonannual egg extrusion.
Journal of Crustacean Biology↗
Rediscovery of the horseshoe shrimp Lightiella serendipita Jones, 1961 (Cephalocarida: Hutchinsoniellidae) in San Francisco Bay, California, USA, with a key to the worldwide species of Cephalocarida
Lightiella serendipita Jones, 1961 was first discovered in San Francisco Bay, California in 1953, but it had not been observed since 1988. In 2017, a total of 13 adult L. serendipita specimens were found as part of a study in central San Francisco Bay, nearly doubling the total number of specimens ever collected. We measured vertical distribution of macroinvertebrates and environmental variables, including grain size and chemical composition of sediment samples, to evaluate potential features associated with the habitat of the species. Specimens were generally found in sediments with low organic matter (1.7–3%), high sulfate concentrations (594.6–647 ppm SO 4 ), fine grain size (12.8–36.2% sand, 35.6–58% silt, 22.8–37.6% clay) and were mostly found in deep core sections (4–10 cm). Specimens were also consistently observed in cores containing tube-forming Polychaeta (i.e., Sabaco elongatus (Verrill, 1873) and Capitellidae), suggesting L. serendipita may have a commensal relationship with sedentary polychaetes, as do other cephalocaridans such as Lightiella incisa Gooding, 1963 . We provide a scanning electron micrograph of L. serendipita and the first complete key to the species in class Cephalocarida to help elucidate the taxonomy of this rare crustacean taxon. The perceived absence of L. serendipita in previous surveys of the Bay may be attributable to its rarity; however, additional research is needed to fully understand habitat requirements and population size of this unique endemic species.
California↗
The freshwater mysid Mysis diluviana (Audzijonyte and Väinölä, 2005) (Mysida: Mysidae) consumes detritus in the presence of Daphnia (Cladocera: Daphniidae)
Freshwater mysids of the Mysis relicta group are omnivorous macroinvertebrates that form an important link between fishes and lower trophic levels in many north temperate to Arctic lakes, where they exhibit diel vertical migration (DVM) to exploit subsurface food-rich layers at night. Benthic food resources have been assumed to be less important for mysid diets than pelagic zooplankton. Studies have nevertheless indicated that mysids consume benthic sedimented detritus, calling this assumption into question. We conducted a food-choice experiment to evaluate the feeding preferences of Mysis diluviana (Audzijonyte & Vainola, 2005) by presenting field-caught specimens in individual foraging arenas with multiple choices of food. Experimental food treatments included a preferred pelagic prey (Daphnia), a presumed less desirable benthic resource (detritus), and a combination of both. We hypothesized that M. diluviana 1) prefers Daphnia over detritus and consumes only Daphnia in combination treatments, and 2) would not consume detritus except when detritus was the only food source available. Contrary to our hypothesis, M. diluviana readily consumed detritus in the presence of Daphnia. M. diluviana unexpectedly consumed more individuals of Daphnia in the presence rather than in the absence of detritus. Our results demonstrate that mysids take advantage of benthic food resources even in the presence of a presumably preferred zooplankton prey, calling to question the long-held assumption that benthic resources are unimportant when considering the trophic role of freshwater mysids of the M. relicta group.
Journal of Crustacean Biology↗
The smaller, the better? First evaluation of growth and mortality in crayfish internally tagged with p-Chips
Small-bodied aquatic animals present a challenge to researchers seeking to uniquely mark individuals for scientific study. Microtransponder tags, such as p-Chips, represent the smallest electronic animal tags available to meet this need. The use of p-Chips to tag freshwater crayfishes, however, has not been explored. The goal of this study, therefore, was to determine the effects of p-Chip tagging on growth and survival of crayfishes in a controlled laboratory environment. We also investigated potential influences from variables such as sex, reproductive form, number of molt events, and crayfish size on mortality. We internally tagged individuals of the woodland crayfish Faxonius hylas (Faxon, 1890) (12.2–26.6 mm carapace length; CL) with either one p-Chip (single-tag) or one p-Chip and one visual implant elastomer tag (double-tagged) and observed the effects over a period of 90 days. Survival probability over time was not statistically different ( P > 0.05) among tagging groups, sex, and reproductive form. Survival rates were similar across all tagging groups, with 75% in the control group, 77% in the double-tagged group, and 78% in the single-tag group. A strong correlation, however, was observed between survival and the number of molt events. Additionally, there was a negative correlation between survival and crayfish size (CL), indicating a higher risk of mortality for larger individuals. There were no statistically significant differences in growth in CL ( P = 0.30) or mass ( P = 0.19) among the tagging groups. We conclude that p-Chips are a viable tagging option for the study of crayfishes given their size, readability, and retention through molting cycles. We recommend that future studies repeat this experiment using smaller individuals to determine the minimum crayfish size compatible with p-Chip tagging. It is also important to test p-Chips with other crayfish species and compare the growth and mortality of crayfish tagged with p-Chips in natural habitats.
Journal of Crustacean Biology↗
Occupancy rates of primary burrowing crayfish in natural and disturbed large river bottomlands
Among crayfish, primary burrowing species are the least understood ecologically. Many primary burrowing crayfish inhabit floodplains where forested landscapes have been fragmented by agricultural, industrial, or residential uses. In this study, site occupancy rates (ψ) were modeled for two primary burrowing crayfish, Fallicambarus fodiens (Cottle, 1863) and Cambarus thomai Jezerinac, 1993, from Ohio and Kanawha river floodplains in West Virginia, U.S.A. Fallicambarus fodiens is one of West Virginia’s rarest crayfish, while C. thomai is prevalent in most wetlands along both river floodplains. Occupancy rate modeling incorporated four environmental covariates (forest age, soil type, tree frequency, and land use). Based on presence/absence data, forests with tree ages >100 years (ΔQAICc = 0) and sites with loam soils (ΔQAICc = 1.80) were most likely to harbor F. fodiens populations. For C. thomai, several models were supported owing to model selection uncertainty, but those with the land use covariate had more total model weight (total w i = 0 . 54 ) than all other covariate models. Cambarus thomai rarely occupied industrial/agricultural sites, but were often present in forested and residential sites. Although the influence of covariates on site occupancy differed between species, both taxa readily utilized mature forested habitats when available. Conservation actions for F. fodiens and C. thomai should focus on preserving forested tracts along large river floodplains
Journal of Crustacean Biology↗
A comparison of two gears for quantifying abundance of lotic-dwelling crayfish
Crayfish (saddlebacked crayfish, Orconectes medius) catch was compared using a kick seine applied two different ways with a 1-m2 quadrat sampler (with known efficiency and bias in riffles) from three small streams in the Missouri Ozarks. Triplicate samples (one of each technique) were taken from two creeks and one headwater stream (n=69 sites) over a two-year period. General linear mixed models showed the number of crayfish collected using the quadrat sampler was greater than the number collected using either of the two seine techniques. However, there was no significant interaction with gear suggesting year, stream size, and channel unit type did not relate to different catches of crayfish by gear type. Variation in catch among gears was similar, as was the proportion of young-of-year individuals across samples taken with different gears or techniques. Negative binomial linear regression provided the appropriate relation between the gears which allows correction factors to be applied, if necessary, to relate catches by the kick seine to those of the quadrat sampler. The kick seine appears to be a reasonable substitute to the quadrat sampler in these shallow streams, with the advantage of ease of use and shorter time required per sample.
Journal of Crustacean Biology↗
Habitat use and growth of the western painted crayfish Orconectes palmeri longimanus
Identifying ontogenetic shifts in habitat use by aquatic organisms is necessary for improving conservation strategies; however, our ability to designate life stages based on surrogate metrics (i.e., length) is questionable without validation. This study identified growth patterns of age-0 western painted crayfish Orconectes palmeri longimanus (Faxon, 1898) reared in the laboratory, provided support for field-based designations of age-0 lengths, and identified microhabitat factors important to adult and juvenile presence from field collections. Two growth periods of a laboratory crayfish population were described using a broken line model: a rapid, early-growth period (weeks 2-20, slope = 0.81 ± 0.03SE), and a slower, late-growth period (weeks 22-50, slope = 0.13 ± 0.03SE). A smoothed curve was generated to represent the size distribution of juveniles from our laboratory population to determine the probability that an age-0 crayfish from our laboratory population had a carapace length (CL) similar to that found in previous field studies using onset of maturity (22.4 mm CL). We determined that the probability of the age-0 crayfish in our summer laboratory population exceeding 22.4 mm CL was 0.06. The threshold between the lower 0.95 and upper 0.05 probabilities was 22.9 mm CL, confirming previous field observations of onset at maturity. We used this threshold to identify juveniles and adults from our field collections, and found that both life stages were positively associated with coarse substrate and negatively associated with water depth. Adults, however, were negatively related to gravel, whereas juveniles showed a positive relationship. This result is reflective of the relationship between crayfish body size and refuge use within the interstitial spaces of substrates, whereby adult crayfish are unable to seek refuge in the small interstitial spaces of gravel.
Journal of Crustacean Biology↗
Environmental covariates associated with Cambarus veteranus (Decapoda: Cambaridae), an imperiled Appalachian crayfish endemic to West Virginia, USA
Cambarus veteranus Faxon, 1914 , a narrow endemic crayfish native to the Upper Guyandotte River Basin (UGB) in West Virginia, USA, was petitioned in 2014 by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to be listed as endangered, but a status survey was recommended to determine if listing was warranted. During May and June 2015, surveys were undertaken across the UGB to determine the current distribution of the species. A total of 71 sites were sampled, including all streams where the species was previously recorded, as well as semi-randomly selected streams, with 1-9 125 m long sites sampled per wadeable stream. Physiochemical and physical habitat data (based on the Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index, QHEI) were obtained at each site to determine abiotic factors that were associated with the presence of C. veteranus . Site detection or non-detection of C. veteranus and associated site covariates were modeled using logistic regression to determine covariates associated with the presence of the species. Cambarus veteranus was present in both the Pinnacle Creek and Clear Fork/Laurel Fork watersheds at 10 sites, but it was not observed in the remaining 61 sites. An additive effects model with conductivity and QHEI was selected as the best approximating model. Cambarus veteranus was associated with lower than average UGB conductivity (379 µS) and high (>80) QHEI score. All sites where C. veteranus was not detected had higher conductivity and/or lower QHEI scores.
West Virginia↗
Life history of the vulnerable endemic crayfish Cambarus (Erebicambarus) maculatus Hobbs and Pflieger, 1988 (Decapoda: Astacoidea: Cambaridae) in Missouri, USA
The vulnerable freckled crayfish, Cambarus maculatus Hobbs and Pflieger, 1988, is endemic to only one drainage in eastern Missouri, USA, which is impacted by heavy metals mining and adjacent to a rapidly-expanding urban area. We studied populations of C. maculatus in two small streams for 25 months to describe annual reproductive cycles, and gather information about fecundity, sex ratio, size at maturity, size-class structure, and growth, capturing a monthly average of more than 50 individuals from each of the two study populations. Information about the density of the species at supplemental sampling streams was also obtained. The species exhibited traits consistent with a K-strategist life history; long-lived, slow-growing, with fewer but larger eggs than sympatric crayfish species. Breeding season occurred in mid- to late autumn, potentially extending into early winter. Egg brooding occurred primarily in May. Young of year were first observed in June. We estimated that these populations contained four to six size-classes, observed smaller individuals grew faster than larger individuals, and most became sexually mature in their second year of life. Densities of C. maculatus were low relative to several sympatric species of Orconectes Cope, 1872. Life history information presented herein will be important for anticipated future conservation efforts.
Missouri↗
The use of coded microwire tags mark-recapture studies of juvenile Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus
To evaluate the suitability of using coded microwire tags (CWTs) to mark early-benthic-stage Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus , we compared the survival, growth, and feeding of tagged and untagged lobsters held in the laboratory through the first five juvenile molts. We also examined the growth of 65 microwire-tagged lobsters released into the wild as early-benthic-stage juveniles. Tag retention rates of lobsters held in the laboratory were 86% for those tagged as first-stage juveniles and 96% for those tagged as second-stage juveniles; virtually all tag loss was confined to the first post-tag molt. Survival and growth rates of tagged second-stage juveniles in the laboratory did not significantly differ from those of untagged lobsters, but first-stage-tagged juveniles had lower growth rates than untagged lobsters did and a 25% post-tagging mortality rate. The mean growth rate of juveniles released into the wild was 0.82 mm CL/wk, but growth differed by season; no sex- or habitat-specific differences in growth were observed. Data obtained from these recaptured lobsters provide the first detailed estimates of growth of P . argus under natural conditions during the earliest part of their benthic life and illustrate the potential usefulness of coded microwire tags in mark-recapture investigations of juveniles for this and other species.
Florida↗
Contrasting patterns of habitat use by prawns and crayfish in a headwater marsh of the St. Johns River, Florida
We compared seasonal patterns of habitat use by the prawn Palaemonetes paludosus and the crayfish Procambarus alleni in Blue Cypress Marsh Conservation Area, Florida. Prawn densities were similar to those found in other oligotrophic wetlands of southern Florida, whereas crayfish densities were much greater than reported previously for other wetlands in the area. Prawns and crayfish had strikingly different patterns of habitat use. Prawn density and biomass were similar in wet prairies and sloughs, whereas crayfish density and biomass were significantly higher in wet prairies. Within habitats, the abundance of prawns and crayfish generally increased with increasing structural complexity and the abundance of crayfish generally decreased with increasing water depth. Differences in risk of predation, frequency of agonistic encounters, food availability, and other factors likely contributed to observed patterns of habitat use. Because of differences in their ability to burrow and avoid concentration into dry-season refugia, prawns and crayfish responded very differently to seasonal variation in hydrologic conditions. Prawn densities were initially low (following a severe drought) and then increased during much of the study period, whereas crayfish densities were relatively stable throughout the study period. Overall, it appears that prawns are more responsive to antecedent hydrologic conditions and crayfish are more responsive to the availability of suitable habitats such as wet prairies.
Florida↗
The relationship between circulating ecdysteroids and chela allometry in male tanner crabs: Evidence for a terminal molt in the genus Chionoecetes
Whether male Tanner crabs, Chionoecetes bairdi, undergo a terminal molt associated with a change in claw allometry has long been debated. We measured molting hormone levels in captured male C. bairdi to assess the potential for molting. We plotted a frequency histogram of chela height to carapace width ratios and found a bimodal distribution of crabs with a ratio of approximately 0.18 separating the two modes. Male crabs with a ratio less than 0.18 were classified as "small-clawed" (SC) while crabs with a ratio greater than 0.18 were classified as "large-clawed" (LC). Circulating molting hormones between SC and LC crabs were compared. Significantly lower ecdysteroid levels were found in LC crabs, indicating that this morphotype had negligible potential for molting. Circulating ecdysteroids were measured in SC males of different shell conditions (soft, new, old, and very old) and no significant differences were found. This research suggests that the molt to LC morphology is a terminal molt. The results from this study have important implications for fisheries management because sub-legal LC males will not recruit into the fishery and removal of larger males may have long term effects on population size structure.
Journal of Crustacean Biology↗
Physiological correlates of water chemistry requirements in fairy shrimp (Order: Anostraca) from southern California
No abstract available at this time
Journal of Crustacean Biology↗
Biorecovery of gold
Recovery of ionic and metallic gold (Au) from a wide variety of solutions by selected species of bacteria, yeasts, fungi, algae, and higher plants is documented. Gold accumulations were up to 7.0 g/kg dry weight (DW) in various species of bacteria, 25.0 g/kg DW in freshwater algae, 84.0 g/kg DW in peat, and 100.0 g/kg DW in dried fungus mixed with keratinous material. Mechanisms of accumulation include oxidation, dissolution, reduction, leaching, and sorption. Uptake patterns are significantly modified by the physicochemical milieu. Crab exoskeletons accumulate up to 4.9 g Au/kg DW; however, gold accumulations in various tissues of living teleosts, decapod crustaceans, and bivalve molluscs are negligible.
Indian Journal of Experimental Biology↗
Control methods for snail-borne zoonoses
All trematodes which cause infections and diseases in humans (zoonoses) require snails for their first intermediate host. Some have additional intermediate hosts such as crustaceans, fishes and frogs. In this paper I have discussed the use of various procedures for controlling snail populations thereby reducing the population of trematodes whose cercariae penetrate the skin of man, or which are acquired by eating raw aquatic vegetation such as watercress, or which cause pathology in fish. Biological, chemical, and physical snail control techniques are discussed. The most promising molluscucides are copper compounds, Bayluscide, biocidal rubber and molluscicidal bait.
Journal of Wildlife Diseases↗
Testing the effect of habitat structure and complexity on nekton assemblages using experimental oyster reefs
Structurally complex habitats are often associated with more diverse and abundant species assemblages in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Biogenic reefs formed by the eastern oyster ( Crassostrea virginica ) are complex in nature and are recognized for their potential habitat value in estuarine systems along the US Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Few studies, however, have examined the response of nekton to structural complexity within oyster reefs. We used a quantitative sampling technique to examine how the presence and complexity of experimental oyster reefs influence the abundance, biomass, and distribution of nekton by sampling reefs 4 months and 16 months post-construction. Experimental oyster reefs were colonized immediately by resident fishes and decapod crustaceans, and reefs supported a distinct nekton assemblage compared to mud-bottom habitat. Neither increased reef complexity, nor age of the experimental reef resulted in further changes in nekton assemblages or increases in nekton abundance or diversity. The presence of oyster reefs per se was the most important factor determining nekton usage.
Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology↗
Global review reveals how disparate study motivations, analytical designs, and focal ions limit understanding of salinization effects on freshwater animals
Global salinization of freshwaters is adversely affecting biotic communities and ecosystem processes. We reviewed six decades (1960–2020) of literature published on animal responses to increased salinities across different taxonomic and ecological contexts and identified knowledge gaps. From 585 journal articles, we characterized 5924 responses of mollusks, crustaceans, zooplankton, non-arthropod invertebrates (NAI), insects, fishes, and amphibians to salinization. Insects and fishes were the most studied taxa; Na + and Cl − were the most studied ions − . Collectively, concentrations of the ions examined typically spanned five orders of magnitude. Species' invasiveness was a key motivation for studying mollusks, crustaceans, and fishes; threats of urbanization and road salts were key motivations for studying NAI, zooplankton, and amphibians. Laboratory studies were more common than field studies for most taxa. Focal life stages in laboratory studies varied widely but juveniles and adults were represented similarly in field studies. Studies of mollusks, NAI, and crustacean focused on adults; studies of zooplankton, insects, fishes, and amphibians focused on juveniles. Organismal- and population-level responses measuring solute uptake, internal chemistry, body condition, or ion concentrations predominated laboratory studies; population- and assemblage-level responses measuring abundance, spatial distribution, or assemblage composition predominated field studies. Negative responses to salinization predominated but positive and unimodal responses were apparent across all taxa and organizational levels. Key topics for further research include a) salinity responses by more taxa, b) responses to especially toxic ions (i.e., potassium, bicarbonate, sulfate, magnesium), c) mechanisms causing positive and unimodal responses, d) traits underpinning responses, e) effects transcending organizational levels, f) ion-specific response thresholds, and g) interactions between salinity and other stressors. Our review suggests inter-taxa variation in sensitivity to salinization reflects occurrence of certain biological traits, including gill-breathing, semi-permeable skin, multiple life stages, and limited mobility. We propose a traits-based framework to predict salinization sensitivity from shared traits. This evolutionary approach could inform management aimed at preventing or reducing adverse impacts of freshwater salinization.
Science of the Total Environment↗