Lacunicambarus dalyae: a new species of burrowing crayfish (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from the southeastern United States

Glon, Mael G.; Williams, Bronwyn W.; Loughman, Zachary J.

doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4683.3.3

Cited by 13 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 18 publications

(31 reference statements)

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“…Fourteen species of crayfish are known from the Bogue Chitto Creek catchment (McGregor et al., 2018), six of which are considered primary burrowers: Creaserinus fodiens Cottle, 1863; L . erythrodactylus ; Lacunicambarus ludovicianus Faxon, 1884; Lacunicambarus dalyae Glon et al., 2019; Procambarus hagenianus hagenianus Faxon, 1884; and P . holifieldi .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Motion‐triggered laser photography reveals fine‐scale activity patterns for burrowing crayfish

2021

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Burrowing crayfish represent 15% of total crayfish species and 32% of imperilled species. Few life history studies exist for these species and more information is needed regarding their ecology, population status, distribution, and biogeography for effective conservation efforts. Challenges to gaining such information include sampling difficulty and small sample sizes. Collection efforts may be more efficient if activity patterns can be identified for species of interest. The goal of our study was to assess specific environmental indicators of burrowing crayfish activity patterns. We evaluated activity patterns of two primary burrowing crayfish species, Lacunicambarus erythrodactylus (Simon & Morris, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., 127, 2014, 572) and Procambarus holifieldi (Schuster, Taylor, & Adams, Zootaxa, 4021, 2015, 1) using laser‐triggered digital photography for one‐year periods in the Bogue Chitto Creek floodplain, Dallas County, Alabama, U.S.A. We predicted that activity would be related to time of day, season, groundwater depth, and precipitation. Activity by L. erythrodactylus covaried significantly with time of day, daylength, groundwater temperature, and relative air temperature, while activity by P. holifieldi covaried with time of day, season, groundwater temperature, and relative air temperature. Additionally, burrow chimney construction by P. holifieldi covaried with daylength, groundwater temperature, relative air temperature, and precipitation. Out‐of‐burrow activity for both species was greatest at night and during periods of relatively cool groundwater temperatures and relatively warm air temperatures, which may be linked to thermal regulation behaviour. The probability of chimney construction by P. holifieldi increased with increasing daylength and decreasing precipitation and was highest during periods of cool groundwater temperatures and air temperatures. A distinct lull in activity from October through March for both species was likely to be the result of reproductive behaviours such as period of egg production and incubation within burrows. Identifying peak out‐of‐burrow activity periods for burrowing crayfish will allow collection efforts to be focused on periods of greatest activity, thereby facilitating the study of burrowing crayfish behaviour.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Motion‐triggered laser photography reveals fine‐scale activity patterns for burrowing crayfish

2021

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“…Evolutionary haplotype sorting in L. dalyae and P. lophotus to the measured environmental variables was only detected in certain pond age classes and not in streams. One of the species is a tertiary burrower that preferentially inhabits ponds (P. lophotus) and that only exhibited haplotype sorting in the mid-age ponds, while the other species is a primary burrower (L. dalyae; Glon et al, 2019) that establishes burrow openings with large chimneys along the pond margins and exhibited haplotype sorting in all three pond age classes (Bearden et al, 2022;Schuster et al, 2022). Intraspecific haplotype sorting in these species was probably in part a response to pond depth, pond area, and the associated increase in pond margin habitat suitable for burrow excavation (Helms et al, 2013;Olinger et al, 2021;Zarri et al, 2022).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Crayfish communities converge over succession in beaver pond metacommunities

Howeth,

Lozier,

Olinger

et al. 2024

Freshwater Biology

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Metacommunity theory predicts that the relative importance of regional and local processes structuring communities will change over ecological succession. Determining effects of these processes on taxonomic and evolutionary diversity in spatially structured freshwater habitats of different successional stages may greatly improve understanding of the maintenance of diversity across temporal and spatial scales. In this study, we evaluated crayfish diversity at local and regional scales in pond metacommunities undergoing secondary succession from beaver (Castor canadensis) disturbance. Following theoretical predictions from metacommunity ecology of the increasing importance of local processes over succession, we hypothesised a decline in crayfish local and β diversity over succession from stronger local structuring as the older ponds may provide less suitable habitat than streams. Crayfish species and phylogenetic diversity were evaluated in beaver pond metacommunities and reference headwater streams located in three catchment regions. DNA sequences from the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene were used to assign crayfish to species for community and phylogenetic diversity tests. Local and β diversity were contrasted across beaver ponds ranging in age from 24 to 70 years and as a function of metacommunity processes. Counter to predictions, local species diversity among streams and the successional stages of ponds categorised by age class (24–39 years; 42–57 years; 60–70 years) did not differ, but community and phylogenetic convergence occurred in the oldest pond ecosystems. Crayfish community composition differed between the youngest and oldest ponds, resulting from higher abundance in the youngest ponds and community convergence in the oldest ponds. The association between community composition and the environment was strongest in streams and decoupled with pond age. In contrast, the correlation between intraspecific haplotype composition and the environment increased over succession. Among the three metacommunities, the regional crayfish species diversity arose from a combination of the temporal and environmental drivers from beaver‐constructed ecosystems and dispersal limitation within catchments. This study represents the first investigation of the taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity response to the successional stages of beaver pond metacommunities. The detection of differential crayfish composition and haplotype sorting to pond age suggests a role for local structuring and further indicates that future studies should acknowledge succession in shaping species diversity at local and regional scales. Dispersal limitation within catchment regions probably contributes to the evolution of crayfish species diversity in metacommunities and the overall maintenance of biodiversity. The results support a transition in community and freshwater ecology from a recent emphasis on spatial processes towards the integration of temporal drivers to better identify regulators of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity across scales.

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“…Floodplain studies targeting crayfish have been species‐specific and limited in scope. The primary burrower Lacunicambarus dalyae Glon, Williams & Loughman, for example, occupies habitats with a shallow water table, fine‐grained soils, and high floodplain connectivity (Grow & Merchant, 1980; Helms, Budnick, et al., 2013; Hobbs, 1981), whereas forest age influences the presence of primary burrower Creaserinus fodiens (Cottle) (Loughman et al., 2012). Soil composition and soil compaction may also affect occupancy, and population responses to drying and flooding are species‐specific (Caine, 1978; Dorn & Trexler, 2007; Dorn & Volin, 2009; March & Robson, 2006; Taylor, 1983).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Crayfish connections: Linking ecology and hydrogeology in Alabama’s Black Prairie using crayfish distribution patterns

Bearden

Tompkins

Weaver³

et al. 2021

Freshwater Biology

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Floodplain ecosystems host diverse surface‐water habitats (e.g., lotic, lentic, ephemeral) and groundwater features that support high levels of species diversity. Our understanding of species–habitat relationships within these complex ecosystems, however, remains incomplete, potentially hindering conservation efforts. Understanding associations between burrowing crayfish and habitat features of floodplains is particularly valuable because crayfish, through burrowing, play an important role in establishing aquatic‐terrestrial connections which enhance local biodiversity. Species of crayfish that persist in floodplains must burrow deep enough to access shallow groundwater. Consequently, burrow presence may indicate a preference for specific surface and subsurface habitat characteristics. The primary goal of our study was to evaluate specific habitat attributes as predictors of burrowing crayfish presence/absence, and our secondary goal was to evaluate species‐specific habitat associations with respect to the same environmental variables. We evaluated burrowing crayfish presence/absence and crayfish species composition with respect to groundwater depth, flood frequency (standing surface water), soil characteristics, and tree size in the Bogue Chitto Creek catchment, Dallas County, Alabama, U.S.A. Active burrows were expected at sites with access to water (a shallow water table) and at sites with environmental variables more conducive to burrow stability (fine‐grained soils and mature trees). Species composition was predicted to vary with groundwater depth and flood frequency. Groundwater depth was the primary driver of burrowing crayfish presence/absence in our system; active burrows were more likely to be present in areas with relatively shallow groundwater depths. Within occupied sites, differences in crayfish species composition were significantly associated with the degree of flooding during the 1‐year study period. Species associated with a high dependence on surface waters were collected alongside species dependent on burrowing to access groundwater, suggesting that the environmental features of floodplains satisfy a diverse set of requirements. In particular, sites offering a mosaic of accessible groundwater depths and floodplain pools may provide critical habitat for diverse assemblages of burrowing crayfish species. Our study revealed a strong association between the presence/absence of active crayfish burrows and the depth to groundwater, a result that supports using burrowing crayfish as indicators of accessible groundwater. This will be increasingly important in the context of how climate change might influence water availability and local species diversity.

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Lacunicambarus dalyae: a new species of burrowing crayfish (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from the southeastern United States

Cited by 13 publications

References 18 publications

Motion‐triggered laser photography reveals fine‐scale activity patterns for burrowing crayfish

Motion‐triggered laser photography reveals fine‐scale activity patterns for burrowing crayfish

Crayfish communities converge over succession in beaver pond metacommunities

Crayfish connections: Linking ecology and hydrogeology in Alabama’s Black Prairie using crayfish distribution patterns

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