Crayfishes of Alabama

Description

A comprehensive assessment of the 99 known species of crayfishes inhabiting the state of Alabama Crayfishes are common organisms in many freshwater habitats. They are usually the largest invertebrates and often represent the greatest amount of invertebrate biomass in their environments. Identified as a keystone species in many ecological communities, aquatic biologists are fond of saying “they eat everything, and everything eats them.”   Crayfishes—sometimes called crawfishes, crawdads, mudbugs, ditchbugs, yabbies, and flusskrebs—are taxonomically and ecologically a diverse group of aquatic crustaceans. There are more than 600 known species worldwide and North America alone is home to more than 400. As home to 99 documented species, Alabama is a global hotspot for crayfish diversity.   Crayfishes of Alabama is the first comprehensive reference work on the subject and provides the most up-to-date information on the vast range of crayfishes known to reside in Alabama. The authors have collected specimens and data from the state’s major and minor waterways and lakes, as well as specialized habitats such as burrows, caves, roadside ditches, marshes, swamps, and temporary autumnal ponds. This volume represents the most in-depth treatment of crayfishes found in the southeastern United States and offers detailed species accounts including descriptions of morphological characters, color, maximum size, comparative species, distribution and habitat, biology, crayfish associates, and conservation status. The species accounts are accentuated with color photographs, photographic morphological plates, and dot maps showing state and national distributions. A photographic key is provided to guide the identification of all 99 species.   Contents Preface Acknowledgments Abbreviations List of Alabama Crayfish Taxa 1. Introduction 2. Physiography 3. Inland Waters of Alabama 4. Crayfish Distributions and Habitat Associations 5. Crayfish Biology and Ecology 6. Crayfish Conservation 7. Crayfish Anatomy and Important Taxonomic Characters 8. Species Identification and Format of Accounts 9. Key to the Crayfishes of Alabama 10. Species Accounts Genus Barbicambarus Genus Cambarellus Genus Cambarus Genus Creaserinus Genus Faxonella Genus Faxonius Genus Hobbseus Genus Lacunicambarus Genus Orconectes Genus Procambarus 11. Species of Hypothetical Occurrence in Alabama Glossary Appendix A. Alabama Crayfish Species Described after Book Submission Appendix B. Crayfish Taxa by County Literature Cited Index