Life history of the coal fields crayfish Cambarus theepiensis Loughman, Foltz, Garrison and Welsh, 2013 (Decapoda: Astacoidea: Cambaridae) in southwestern West Virginia, USA

Foltz, David A.; Nolan, Edward J.; McGill, Kyle T.; Loughman, Zachary J.

doi:10.1163/1937240x-00002470

Cited by 3 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Thus, these results demonstrate that females of C. chasmodactylus can exhibit glair glands (and thus mating) at smaller sizes than our data suggests. Overall, these results align with previously published work on large Cambarus species, where both males and females reach a TCL of ~30-35 mm before entering a reproductive state (Form I in males and displaying glair glands in females; Hamr & Berrill, 1985, Corey, 1990, Foltz et al, 2016, Vopal & Loughman, 2021.…”

Section: Size At Sexual Maturitysupporting

confidence: 91%

“…Overall, these results mirror similar findings regarding the diameter of ovarian eggs before and after egg extrusion in C. theepiensis, C. robustus and C. bartonii (Foltz et al, 2016;Hamr & Berrill, 1985). In C. chasmodactylus, investment into ovarian eggs seemingly increases in glaired females leading up to egg extrusion.…”

Section: Fecundity and Ovarian Egg Diametersupporting

confidence: 85%

“…While in the laboratory, we dissected preserved females for retrieval of ovarian eggs. Methods for egg extraction and measurement were adopted from a previously published study (Foltz et al, 2016). Specifically, we severed the visceral lining connecting the cephalothorax to the abdomen using a dissecting knife, after which the cephalothorax was lifted anteriorly, revealing the viscera.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Images were photographed using a Nikon D3200 camera and were then analysed using corresponding Leica LAS EZ image analysis software (Leica Microsystems, 2013). For each captured female per month, ten egg widths were measured to the nearest 0.01 mm per female and recorded (Foltz et al, 2016).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For each captured female per month, ten egg widths were measured to the nearest 0.01 mm per female and recorded (Foltz et al, 2016). In addition to the females that we dissected for the collection of ovarian egg diameter data, we also housed 12 ovigerous and glaired females for the development of a captive care propagation protocol for an endangered Cambarus species (Z. J. Loughman unpublished data).…”

Section: Reproduction and Fecunditymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Life history and neonate behaviour of the new river crayfish Cambarus chasmodactylus James 1966 (Decapoda: Astacoidea: Cambaridae) from the central portion of the species range

Graham

Loughman

2022

Acta Zoologica

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We studied the life history of the New River Crayfish, Cambarus chasmodactylus in Anthony, Creek, West Virginia during an entire activity season—from May 2011 through October 2011. We observed two mass moulting events; one occurred in May, whereas the other occurred in September. Most males within this population moulted from Form I (i.e. reproductive form) to Form II (i.e. non‐reproductive form) in May and then later returned to Form I after a September moulting event. We collected females with active glair glands from May to June, with oviposition occurring from July to August. Fecundity was high and weakly correlated with body size. Egg counts of attached eggs/young in ovigerous females ranged from 41 to 281, with an average of 168. Additionally, from June to October, we dissected a subset of females to determine the monthly gonadal development in females with and without active glair glands. Lastly, in the laboratory, we observed 4th instar neonate crayfishes repeatedly “drifting” between females. We speculate on the relevance of this drifting behaviour and propose future studies to investigate this phenomenon. Our study provides the first comprehensive understanding of the life history of C. chasmodactylus.

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Section: Size At Sexual Maturitysupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Fecundity and Ovarian Egg Diametersupporting

confidence: 85%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Reproduction and Fecunditymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Life history and neonate behaviour of the new river crayfish Cambarus chasmodactylus James 1966 (Decapoda: Astacoidea: Cambaridae) from the central portion of the species range

Graham

Loughman

2022

Acta Zoologica

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Life history of the Big Sandy crayfish Cambarus callainus Thoma, Loughman & Fetzner, 2014 (Decapoda: Astacoidea: Cambaridae), an imperiled crayfish in the central Appalachian coalfields, USA

Vopal

Loughman

2021

Journal of Crustacean Biology

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The Big Sandy crayfish, Cambarus callainusThoma, Loughman & Fetzner, 2014, endemic to the Big Sandy River basin in the central Appalachians, USA, was listed by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2016 due to limited and declining range. In March 2018 we began a twelve-month study of the species at the Dry Fork watershed in West Virginia, USA and the Russell Fork watershed in Virginia, USA to document annual life history, reveal if seasonal molting occurs, determine the reproductive season and fecundity, and define its life history strategy. Egg-bearing females were only captured in August; however, a single female was collected with free-living craylings in April, suggesting possible overwintering maternal care or a potential early spring oviposition event. Mating likely occurred between May and June and potentially into the fall and early winter. Five to six size-class cohorts were observed, and we speculate that C. callainus could live up to five years or more. Analysis of morphometric data suggests that females undergo form change, displaying larger chelae and wider abdomens. The smallest Form I male collected had a total carapace length (TCL) of 31.5 mm and the smallest Form I female 32.8 mm. The largest male collected was Form I with a TCL of 55.9 mm. Similar to other species of Cambarus, C. callainus appears to exhibit K-selected life history traits: Fewer and larger eggs, relatively longer maternal care, larger but slow growing, and long lived. The life history information described should prove invaluable to those engaging in conservation efforts for this threatened species.

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Life history and ecology of the Greenbrier Crayfish Cambarus smilax Loughman, Simon & Welsh, 2011 (Decapoda: Astacoidea: Cambaridae)

Hughes

Graham

et al. 2022

Journal of Crustacean Biology

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We studied the life history and ecology of the Greenbrier Crayfish, Cambarus smilax (Loughman, Simon & Welsh, 2011) in Thorny Creek and the West Fork of the Greenbrier River, West Virginia from August 2010 to July 2011. We gathered data on morphology, reproductive status, habitat preference, and the prevalence of claw regeneration for each monthly sampling event. We collected Form I males every single month at Thorny Creek location, and every single month besides December at West Fork Greenbrier location. Females exhibited active glair glands during May to July, with oviposition in June to August. Fecundity ranged from 71 to 179, with an average of 121 eggs per female. Cambarus smilax preferred different microhabitats at each of our two study sites. It was primarily collected in run microhabitats at Thorny Creed, but primarily collected at West Fork Greenbrier within pool microhabitats, potentially due to competitive displacement from C. chasmodactylus (James, 1966). Our study provides the first information regarding the life history of C. smilax and sheds light on the ecological implications of competition between locations with different crayfish communities.

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Life history of the coal fields crayfish Cambarus theepiensis Loughman, Foltz, Garrison and Welsh, 2013 (Decapoda: Astacoidea: Cambaridae) in southwestern West Virginia, USA

Cited by 3 publications

References 33 publications

Life history and neonate behaviour of the new river crayfish Cambarus chasmodactylus James 1966 (Decapoda: Astacoidea: Cambaridae) from the central portion of the species range

Life history and neonate behaviour of the new river crayfish Cambarus chasmodactylus James 1966 (Decapoda: Astacoidea: Cambaridae) from the central portion of the species range

Life history of the Big Sandy crayfish Cambarus callainus Thoma, Loughman & Fetzner, 2014 (Decapoda: Astacoidea: Cambaridae), an imperiled crayfish in the central Appalachian coalfields, USA

Life history and ecology of the Greenbrier Crayfish Cambarus smilax Loughman, Simon & Welsh, 2011 (Decapoda: Astacoidea: Cambaridae)

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