Four Crayfishes (Decapoda: Cambaridae) New to the North Carolina Fauna, With Notes on Other Species in the State

It is important to our knowledge of biodiversity, and for future evaluations of the potential biological effects of invasive species, climate change, and drought on native organisms, that accurate distributional data based on voucher specimens be published. The North Carolina crayfish fauna currently consists of 40 native species (Cooper 2010) and three invasive species (Cooper and Armstrong 2007; Cooper 2010), all of which have been described, as well as several known but undescribed new species. In addition, taxonomic problems exist with several of the native species, which, when resolved, could very well result in the descriptions of additional new species that are not yet recognized as such. This paper presents data on one species of native crayfish, two ostensible natives, and one extralimital species previously unreported from North Carolina. It also provides new distributional data for two other non-natives and two indigenous species already known to occur here.

Abbreviations used in the text are as follows: coll.  =  collector(s); Crk  =  Creek; j  =  juvenile; m  =  meter; mi  =  mile; NC  =  North Carolina state highway; NCSM  =  North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh; R  =  river; Rd  =  road; SR  =  state secondary road (formerly county road); TCL  =  total carapace length; U.S.  =  United States highway. All voucher specimens are in the curated crustacean collection at NCSM (catalogue numbers in parentheses). Names of collectors are given in first usage, initials thereafter.

This species was originally thought to be limited in distribution to the lower Catawba and Saluda River basins in South Carolina. In their description, however, Cooper and Price (2010:335) stated “its range could also include the Catawba basin in North Carolina ….” The following records for the species are now available from the upper Catawba: Burke Co.—(1) Johns R at Corpening Bridge Rd (SR 1438) (35.83372N/-81.71193W); 1 ovigerous ♀ (24499), 4 August 2004, coll. A. L. Braswell (ALB), et al.; 1 j ♂, 2 ♀, 1 j ♀ (5830), 12 September 2011, coll. W. T. Russ (WTR), C. D. Rodgers (CDR), T. D. Ewing (TDE), J. A. Fridell; Caldwell Co.—(2) Johns R at Old Johns R Rd (SR 1356) (35.95879N/-81.71128W); 3 ♀ (5832), 14 September 2011, coll. S. J. Fraley (SJF), WTR, CDR, TDE, S. Bryan; (35.95882N/-81.71113W); l j ♂, 2 ♀, 1 ovig ♀ (5875), 5 June 2012, coll. WTR, T. N. Penland (TNP), A. M. Franks. (3) Johns R at Old Johns R Rd (SR 1356) (35.9326N/-81.6887W); 1 ♂ II, 1 j ♀ (5833), 22 February 2012, coll. WTR, C. J. Wood. (4) Johns R at Old Johns R Rd (SR 1356) (35.93237N/-81.68829W); 1 ♂ II, 1 j ♂, 1 ♀ (5831), 24 September 2012, coll. WTR, TNP. (5) Johns R at Adako Rd (SR 1337) (35.90928N/-81.69337W); 1 j ♂, 1 ♀ (5834), 15 September 2011, coll. WTR, CDR, et al.

Crayfish associates: Collected with C. (P.) aldermanorum were Cambarus (Puncticambarus) johni Cooper, 2006; Cambarus (Puncticambarus) sp. C; Cambarus (Cambarus) bartonii (Fabricius, 1798); and Cambarus (Cambarus) howardi Hobbs and Hall, 1969.

Life history note.—Nothing has been published on the life history of this species since its description. The ovigerous female from locality (1) above has a TCL of 32.2 mm, and 51 ova that average 2.4 mm in diameter attached to its pleopods. The female from locality (3) above measures 32.6 mm TCL and carries 128 ova, averaging 2.5 mm in diameter.

Taxonomic note.—In their diagnosis of this species, Cooper and Price (2010:336) noted that the ventral surface of the carpus of the cheliped was “devoid of proximomesial tubercle ….” and (p. 343) “Additional differences among these species include: lack of proximomesial tubercle or spine on the ventral carpus” of C.(P.) aldermanorum. Examination of a larger series from both Carolinas now reveals that some specimens possess a proximomesial tubercle on the ventral surface of the carpus, so this is no longer a valid morphological distinction.

This species was reported from the Hiwassee River basin in North Carolina by Hobbs (1981:263), who later informed JEC (in litt.) “the locality is 1.6 miles [2.6 km] west of the junction of US Hwy 64 on State Route 60, Cherokee County – Nottely River, collected on 12 June 1960, by K. W. Simonds …. the whereabouts of the specimen is still a puzzle.” On 21 July 1984, JEC and Alvin L. Braswell collected 47 crayfish at that same site —the Nottely River at NC 60, 3.2 air km (2.0 air mi) SSW of Ranger—but found no Orconectes. The same collectors did extensive sampling elsewhere in the Hiwassee River basin in Cherokee and Clay counties in July and September 1984, but again found no Orconectes. Simmons and Fraley (2010) published a paper on major collections from western North Carolina, but reported no O. erichsonianus. Hobbs (1989:35, 84, 89) did not include North Carolina in the general range of the species, and the lack of voucher material and the failure of later collections by them and others to produce the species prompted Cooper and Braswell (1995:105) to remove it from the state list. However, there are now voucher specimens that verify its existence in North Carolina, not in the Hiwassee River basin but in part of the French Broad River basin: Madison Co.—French Broad R at Paint Rock Rd (SR 1304), Huff Island (35.94221N/-82.89509W); 3 j ♂, 3 j ♀ (5835), 5 September 2012, coll. WTR, TNP; (35.94310N/-82.89619W); 1 ♂ I, 1 ♀ (5870), 25 October 2012, coll. WTR, TNP. This locality lies between Hot Springs and the Greene County, Tennessee, line. The type locality of the species is in Greene County.

JEC and A. L. Braswell collected 300 specimens at 11 sites around Hot Springs in July and September 1984, but failed to find any Orconectes. This does not necessarily mean that O. (C.) erichsonianus was not there, but it seems more likely the species is a newcomer to the state, which means it has either been introduced or has expanded its range from Tennessee into North Carolina in the French Broad River system. The probability that the species is moving into North Carolina from Tennessee rather than being a “bait bucket” introduction is supported by recent evidence of another crayfish (see next account), and at least two species of fish, that had not appeared in Madison County until recently (Bryn Tracy, viva voce).

Apparently O. forceps, like O. erichsonianus, is moving up the French Broad River from Tennessee. The following collection establishes its presence in North Carolina: Madison Co.—French Broad River at Paint Rock Rd (SR 1304), Huff Island, (35.94067N/-83.89338W); 4 ♂ I, 1 ♂ II, 6 ♀ (5864), 23 October 2012, coll. SJF, WTR, TNP, B. H. Tracy (BHT), M. D. Shepherd (MDS), J. A. Combs, J. T. DeBerardinis (JTD).

This species was originally reported to occur only in the upper Linville River of the Catawba River basin above Linville Falls in Avery County (Thoma 2005). The river originates on the slopes of Grandfather Mountain. However, collections made by Jesse Pope and colleagues have produced specimens of this species in the Watauga River basin, all from high-altitude streams [>3,600' (1,097 m)] that also originate on Grandfather Mountain, and specimens that cannot be distinguished from C. (C.) eeseeohensis from the Johns River subdrainage of the Catawba River basin (see localities 6, 7, and 8 below). Other notable collections by WTR and Roger Thoma found this species downstream of Linville Falls, to the mouth of Lake James. Likewise, NCSM has specimens from other localities in the Linville River: CATAWBA RIVER BASIN: Avery Co.—(1) Linville R at US 221, ca. 0.2 air mi [0.3 air km] W of Pineola (36.02889N/-81.89611W); 1 ♂ II (4301), 10 June 1997, coll. D. R. Lenat (DRL), T. MacPherson (TM). (2) Linville R off NC 106 above Grandfather Golf (36.11389N/-81.84583W); 2 j ♂, 1 j ♀ (4302), 9 June 1997, coll. DRL, TM. (3) Linville R at SR 1531, ca. 0.75 air mi [1.2 air km] SSW of Altamont (35.98664N/-81.94615W); 1 ♀ (857), 6 August 1975, coll. unknown. (4) Little Grassy Crk, 0.5 mi [0.8 km] S of intersection NC 105/184 on The Nature Conservancy's Wilmor Tract (36.11619N/-81.83466W); 1 ♂ I, 1 ♂ II, & damaged L cheliped of unidentified Cambarus (5858), 15 June 2009, coll. J. Pope (JP), G. Taylor (GT). (5) walking along side of Private Drive, 8 m from first order stream on Chinquapin Lane off Taylor Rd (36.05821N/-81.92259W); 1 ♀ (5847), 31 May 2009, coll. JP. (6) Stack Rock Crk, 115 m upstream from Blue Ridge Parkway bridge (36.09319N/-81.82025W); 1 ♂ II (5859), 31 July 2009, coll. GT, D. Keith (DK). (7) Green Mountain Crk, 50 m upstream from Tanawha Trail bridge (36.11453N/-81.78206W); 1 ♂ I (5857), 20 July 2009, coll. JP, GT, KG. (8) Wilsons Crk, 250 m upstream from Tanawha Trail bridge (36.10398N/-81.80721W); 1 ♂ I (5849), 14 July 2009, coll. JP, GT, KG, M. McCloud. WATAUGA RIVER BASIN: Avery Co.—(9) Shanty Springs, down from Profile Trail crossing (36.12464N/-81.82021W); 1 ♂ II (5861), 16 July 2009, coll. GT, K. Gray (KG), DK. (10) Shanty Springs, 5 m upstream from Profile Trail crossing (36.12464N/-81.82021W); 2 ♂ II (5860), 22 July 2009, coll. JP, GT, KG. Watauga Co.—(11) Boone Fork Crk, 100–150 m upstream from Tanawha Trail bridge (36.12062N/-81.78316W); 3 ♂ I (5852, 5853), 11 August 2009, coll. JP, P. Dameron, GT, DK, KG; (12) Boone Fork Crk, 0.2 mi [0.3 km] upstream from Tanawha Trail bridge (36.12057N/-81.78302W); 1 ♂ II (5851), 9 July 2009, coll. JP, GT, KG. (13) Boone Fork Crk at second stream crossing on Nuwati Trail (36.11976N/-81.79214W); 1 ♂ II (5854), 15 September 2009, coll. GT, DK. (14) Boone Fork Crk, at third stream crossing on Nuwati Trail (36.1198N/-81.79358W); 1 ♂ I (5855), 15 September 2009, coll. GT, DK. (15) Boone Fork Crk, small trib 15 m upstream from fourth stream crossing on Nuwati Trail (36.11996N/-81.79514W); 1 ♂ I (5856), 15 September 2009, coll. GT, DK. (16) Boone Fork Crk in fifth stream crossing, 50 feet [15.0 m] above Nuwati Trail (36.12004N/-81.79559W); 1 ♂ II (5850), 15 September 2009, coll. GT, DK. (17) small tributary of Watauga R at first stream crossing on Profile Trail (36.12498N/-81.82632W); 1 j ♂ (5848), 6 July 2009, coll. JP, GT, KG. (18) Watauga R, 150 m past first stream crossing Profile Trail (36.12245N/-81.82752); 1 ♂ II (5862), 6 July 2009, coll. JP, GT, KG.

This endemic crayfish apparently has one of the most limited ranges of all North Carolina species. Most of its previously known localities were in parts of the Cheoah River subdrainage of the Little Tennessee River basin, but specimens from two close localities on Panther Creek (localities 8 and 9 below) represent a significant northeastward range extension. The creek drains into an arm of Fontana Lake in eastern Graham County. The species was first reported as occurring in the state by Cooper and Braswell (1995:107), when it was identified as Orconectes (Procericambarus) spinosus (Bundy, 1877). Taylor (2000) later restricted the range of O. (P.) spinosus to the Coosa River basin, and informed JEC (in litt.) that he considered the Cheoah animal to be a new species, which he intended to eventually describe. Nearly all of the earlier records came from Talulah Creek or the Cheoah River at SR 1138, but NCSM has voucher specimens from the following additional localities: Graham Co. – (1) Little Buffalo Crk at SR 1148 & 1123 (35.32844N/-83.8955W); 2 ♂ II (24011), 26 May 1995, coll. C. McGrath. (2) Snowbird Crk at NC 143, ca. 3.4 air mi [1.0 air km]SW of Robbinsville (35.311673N/-83.859765W); 1 j ♀ (5826), 10 June 2012, coll. T. Barrett (ToB). (3) Snowbird Crk at Snowbird Rd (SR 143) (35.30943N/-83.85457W); 3 j ♂, 1 ♀, 6 j ♀ (24686), 17 August 2004, coll. SJF. (4) Sweetwater Crk at SR 1214 (35.32497N/-83.79335W); 2 ♂ II (26591), 29 April 2009, coll. BHT, T. Butz (TB), W. Crouch (WC), M. Simonson (MS). (5) “Trout Farm” ca. 3.4 air mi [5.5 air km] SW of Robbinsville (35.311108N/-83.860545W), 1 ♀ (5827), 19 June 2012, coll. ToB. (6) Cheoah R at NC 129 (35.32912N/-83.80837W); 3 ♂ I (2601), 6 August 1987, coll. DRL, D. Penrose (DP); 2 ♂ II (4741), 25 July 1994, coll. DP, WG, G. Price. (7) Cheoah R just upstream from sewage treatment plant, Robbinsville (35.32915N/-83.80847W); 5 ♂ II, 3 ♀ (389), 8 October 1980, coll. J. H. Davies. (8) Panther Crk at Panther Creek Rd (SR 1232) (35.39036N/-83.52431W); 1 ♂ II, 1 j ♂, 2 ♀ (5874), 26 July 2011, coll. SJF, WTR, CDR. (9) Panther Crk at Big Horse Branch Rd (SR 1233) (35.39042N/-83.62457W); 1 ♀, I j ♀ (5876), 8 July 2009, coll. SJF, WTR, N. A. Bowman (NAB).

Vouchered records for occurrences of this invasive species were included in Cooper et al. (1998) and Cooper and Armstrong (2007), who reported it from several localities in the Catawba River basin. These included the Linville River in Burke County, and Long and Maury creeks in Gaston County. Recent collections have been made from those known localities, and the following are previously unpublished data for the species: CATAWBA RIVER BASIN: Burke Co.—(1) Linville R at NC 126 (35.79516N/-81.8896W); 1 ♂ I, 1 ♂ II, 1 j ♂, 2 ♀, 1 j ♀ (5873), 15 September 2011, coll. WTR, JAF, CDR, NAB. Caldwell Co.—(2) Freeman Crk at SR 1123 (35.80559N/-81.49984W); 1 j ♀ (26193), 25 March 2007, coll. BT, TB, JD, MS. Gaston Co.—(3) Dallas Branch at SR 2272 (35.30083N/-81.16111W); 1 j ♀ (25752), 4 May 2006, coll. WC, B. Prusha (BP), M. Walters (MW). (4) Long Crk at SR 1408, 2.4 mi [3.9 km] WNW of Bessemer City (35.30167N/-81.32417W); 1 ♂ I, 2 ♂ II, 3 j ♂, 3 ♀, 3 j ♀ (5761), 21 July 2009, coll. E. Menhinick (EM). (5) Beaverdam Crk at NC 279, 2.5 mi [4.0 km] E of Cherryville (35.37806N/-81.33889W); 2 j ♂, 1 ♀, 2 j ♀ (5763), 15 July 2009, coll. EM. (6) Beaverdam Crk at Landers Church Rd (SR 1618) (35.39798N/-81.26759W); 1 ♂ II (5871), 21 June 2007, coll. WTR, SJF, J. C. Yonce (JCY). (7) Rattle Shoal Crk at SR 1807, 1.1 mi [1.8 km] S of Hardings (35.3700N/-81.18555W); 1 j ♂ (5766), 22 October 2009, coll. EM. (8) Long Crk at US 321, 2 mi [3.2 km] N of Gastonia (35.29583N/-81.18777W); 2 ♂ II, 2 j ♀ (5767), 10 September 2009, coll. EM. (9) unknown trib to Long Crk at SR 1445, 2.5 mi [4.0 km] N of Bessemer City (35.32639N/-81.28361W); 1 ♂ II, 4 ♀ (5777), 21 July 2009, coll. EM. (10) Duharts Crk at SR 2329, 1.1 mi [1.8 km] SSW of Lowell (35.25195N/-81.10972W); 1 ♀ (5783), 1 October 2009, coll. EM. (11) Long Crk at NC 275 (35.30262N/-81.22204W); 1 j ♀ (26343), 18 June 2007, coll. MW, WC, TM. (12) Linville R at NC 126 (35.79472N/-81.89027W); 1 ♀ (26388), 3 July 2007, coll. D. Black (DB), MS, BP. Lincoln Co.—(13) Clark Crk at SR 1008 (35.2830N/-81.1601W); 1 j ♀ (26350), 9 July 2007, coll. DB, MS, BP. McDowell Co.—(14) Catawba R at NC 126, below dam (35.73437N/-81.88845W); 1 ♀ (5872), 22 August 2011, coll.WTR, D. W. Goodfred. ROANOKE RIVER BASIN: Halifax Co.—(15) Roanoke Rapids Dam bypass at base of Roanoke Rapids Power Station, ca. 1.5 air mi [2.4 air km] W of NC 48 in Roanoke Rapids (36.28924N/-77.40398W); 1 ♀ (26366), 4–27 December 2006, coll. C. Coley (CC); 1 ♂ I (26364), 15 October 2007. coll. B. Graham, CC.

The presence of this destructive invasive species in North Carolina was first recorded by Fullerton and Watson (2001:67, 68), who reported it from three localities in the Broad River basin in Rutherford County. Cooper (2002:177) then recorded the species from a locality in the Little Tennessee River basin in Swain County, and Cooper and Armstrong (2007) summarized the localities of NCSM voucher specimens. The species is now known from the following new localities: CATAWBA RIVER BASIN: McDowell Co.—(1) North Fork Catawba R at Pitts Station Rd (SR 1573) (35.83452N/-82.00209W); 2 ♂ I, 2 ovig ♀, 2 j ♀ (5865), 19 March 2012, coll. WTR, TNP. (2) Catawba R at US 221 (35.70759N/-82.0389W); 3 ♂ I, 1 j ♂, 5 ♀, 5 j ♀ (5866), 18 August 2011, coll. WTR, CDR, R. A. Hailey (RAH). (3) Catawba R at Resistoflex Rd (SR 1221) (35.68628N/-82.05911W); 5 ♂ I, 1 ♀, 1 j ♀ (5867), 29 September 2011, coll. SJF, WTR, CDR, TDE, AJR. (4) North Fork Catawba R at Goode Rd (SR1559) (35.79226N/-82.01617W); 1 ♂ I, 3 ♂ II, 5 ♀, 1 j ♀ (5869), 9 August 2011, coll. WTR, CDR, RAH; 1 sex indeterminate (5868), 19 September 2007, coll. WTR, JCY, S. VanHorn, R. J. Brown. (5) Catawba R at Old Greenlee Rd (SR 1215) (35.6678N/-82.10255W); 2 ♂ I, 3 j ♂, 1 ♀, 4 j ♀ (5863), 18 August 2011, coll. WTR, CDR, RAH.

Life history note: Size at sexual maturity in the McDowell County series is quite variable. Ovigerous females ranged in TCL from 18.0 and 19.0 mm to 39.2 mm. Form-I male TCLs ranged from 15.9 to 37.8 mm. This phenomenon is apparently normal for the species elsewhere (Hobbs and Jass 1988:75).

Through the courtesy of Brian Helms, Auburn University, NCSM received a form-I male (24399) of this introduced species, collected from Dutch Creek, a tributary of the Watauga River, at Valle Crucis School, eight miles [12.9 km] west of Boone, Watauga County. It was collected on 13 June 1964 by J. H. Elrod and C. D. Eggers. There has to date been no effort to determine if a population of the species is established at that site. The natural range of the species is “From the upper Savannah basin southward to the St. Marys and Suwannee river systems in Florida and westward to the Alabama-Mobile River basin” (Hobbs 1989:75).

We are indebted to all those collectors who provided many of the specimens on which this report is based; their names are provided in the species accounts. We are particularly indebted to biologists of the Division of Water Quality, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and to Steven J. Fraley and colleagues with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, for their outstanding contributions to NCSM research collections and our knowledge of the state's crayfishes. Thanks also to Jesse Pope and colleagues with the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation for specimens from their crayfish surveys. Special thanks are accorded to Suzanne A. Cooper who diligently georeferenced and provided data from NCSM's catalogue and database. Thanks are also due two anonymous reviewers for their astute comments.