| Abstract |
There are five species of obligate cave-dwelling (troglobitic) crayfish reported for the Ozark region. Only two troglobitic crayfish are known from Arkansas, the endangered Cambarus zophonastes and the endangered Cambarus aculabrum. C. aculabrum was described from two cave streams in Benton County, Arkansas by H. H. Hobbs, Jr. and A. V. Brown (1987). It is a small, white (unpigmented) crayfish with reduced eyes. There is no common name for C. aculabrum. Cave organisms, including C. aculabrum, are specially adapted to survive in cave ecosystems. Many cave dwelling species have reduced metabolism, delayed reproduction, reduced fecundity, increased longevity, reduced or nonexistent eyes and loss ofpigmentation (Culver 1982, Brown et al. 1994). In general, almost nothing is known about the ecology and natural history of cave crayfish, and only limited observations have been made of this species. First form males (reproductively active) have been collected during the months of October, December, January and February (Hobbs and Brown 1987). Females carrying eggs and young C. aculabrum have not been observed. On July 15, 1988, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) was petitioned by Dr. Arthur Brown, University of Arkansas, to list Cambarus aculabrum as an endangered species. |
