Cambarus coosae Hobbs 1981

Cambarus (Puncticambarus) coosae Hobbs

Cambarus (Cambarus) extraneus.—Ortmann, 1931:99 [in part].

Cambarus (Puncticambarus) species B.—Hobbs, 1969b:102, fig. 7.

Cambarus sp. nov. A.—Anonymous, 1969:C–23; 1970:162.

Cambarus species A.—Hobbs and Hall, 1974:204.

Cambarus (Puncticambarus) sp.—Hart and Hart, 1974:58.

Cambarus nov. sp. A.—Wharton, 1978:220.

Cambarus (Puncticambarus) coosae Hobbs, 1981:230, figs. 21c, 89a, 90, 91, 223.

Cambarus (Hiaticambarus) coosae.—Hobbs and Peters, 1982:312 [lapsus calami].

TYPES.—Holotype, allotype, and morphotype, USNM 145603, 145604, 145605 (male I, female, male II); paratypes, USNM.

TYPE LOCALITY.—Spring Creek, 8 miles (12.8 km) east-southeast of Rome, Floyd County, Georgia, on U.S. Highway 411.

RANGE.—The Coosa River basin from Polk and Bradley counties, Tennessee, Murray, Pickens, and Paulding counties, Georgia, to Bibb, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay, Coosa, Shelby, and Talladega counties, Alabama.

HABITAT.—Streams.

Cambarus (Puncticambarus) cumberlandensis Hobbs and Bouchard

Cambarus (Puncticambarus) species A.—Hobbs, 1969b:102, fig. 7.

Cambarus (Puncticambarus) sp.—Bouchard, 1972b:91.

Cambarus (Puncticambarus) sp. nov.—Bouchard, 1973b:411.

Cambarus (Puncticambarus) cumberlandensis Hobbs and Bouchard, 1973:41, figs. 1, 2.

Cambarus cumberlandensis.—Hobbs and Bouchard, 1973:41.

TYPES.—Holotype, allotype, and morphotype, USNM 132989, 132990, 132991 (male I, female, male II); paratypes, USNM.

TYPE LOCALITY.—Poplar Cove Creek (a tributary to the East Fork of the Obey River), 5.8 miles (9.3 km) west of Jamestown, Fentress County, Tennessee, off State Route 52, just east of Helena.

RANGE.—Cumberland River system from Jellico Creek (Scott County, Tennessee) downstream to and including Roaring River in Jackson County, Tennessee; and Green River system in Adair and Metcalf counties, Kentucky. Introduced into Caney Fork River system in DeKalb County, Tennessee.

HABITAT.—Streams.

Cambarus (P.) coosae

E Dactylocythere falcata: Floyd, Murray, Whitfield (Hart and Hart, 1974:58)

Dactylocythere suteri: Murray (Hart and Hart, 1974:73)

Entocythere elliptica: Murray, Whitfield (Hart and Hart, 1974:88)

Entocythere internotalus: Floyd (Hart and Hart, 1974: 90)

Uncinocythere simondsi: Floyd, Murray, Polk (Hart and Hart, 1974:134)

Cambarus (Puncticambarus) coosae

Cambarus extraneus.—Bundy, 1877:174*.—Faxon, 1884:145* [in part]; 1885a:84–85*, (160, 167, 173, 178, 179)* [in part]; 1898:650.—Underwood, 1886:368* [in part].—Harris, 1903a:59*, 97*, 144, 151, 156*, ?159*, 161 [in part].—Ortmann, 1905b:311* [in part]; 1918:849* [in part].—Newcombe, 1929:279, 280 [in part].—Hobbs, 1956c:115–120* [in part]; 1959:896* [in part].—Anonymous, 1967a, tab. 6; 1970b:211*.

Cambarus extraneous.—Adams, 1901:849 [in part: erroneous spelling].

Cambarus (Bartonius) extraneus.—Ortmann, 1905a:116, 120, 121*, 129, [in part].

Cambarus (Cambarus) extraneus.—Ortmann. 1931:97 104* [in part].

“an undescribed species closely related to C. extranius” [sic].—Unestam, 1969:203*,

Cambarus (Puncticambarus) species B.—Hobbs, 1969a:102, 135*. fig. 7*.

Cambarus sp. nov. A.—Anonymous, 1969a:(C-23, C-27, C-28, C-32, C-33)*; 1970b: (162–164, 169, 170, 191–193, 196, 197)*.

Cambarus species A.—Hobbs and Hall, 1974:204*. Cambarus (Puncticambarus) sp.—Hart and Hart, 1974:58*, 73*, 79*, 87, 88*, 90*. 134*.

Cambarus nov. sp. A.—Wharton. 1978:220*.

The above bibliographic citations comprise what I believe to be a complete synonomy as well as including all published references to the species. Those listings mentioning localities or specimens from Georgia are indicated by an asterisk.

SUMMARY OF LITERATURE.—The first record of the occurrence of this crayfish in the state is that of Bundy (1877), who, in describing his Cambarus spinosus [= Orconectes spinosus], stated that the latter occurs in the “Etowah, Oostanaula and Coosa Rivers, in the vicinity of Rome, Georgia,” in company with C. extraneus [= C. coosae]. Faxon (1884) also cited the locality, “Etowah River, Rome, Georgia,” one that was repeated by him in 1885 and, together with Bundy's record, was the source for all subsequent citations until 1967. The first precise localities known were recorded by Anonymous (1967a) from three localities in Alabama: (1) Walnut Creek, 4 miles northwest of Clanton, Chilton County; (2) Hatchett Creek at County Road, 6 miles west of Rockford, Coosa County; and (3) Weogufka Creek, 1 mile northwest of Hillwood, Coosa County. Anonymous (1969a) reported this crayfish from five localities in the Conasauga, Coosawattee, and Oostanaula river basins east and south of Dalton, Whitfield County, Georgia. Hobbs (1969a) indicated that the extraneus-like crayfish in the Coosa Basin belonged to an undescribed species. Anonymous (1970b) recorded it as Cambarus extraneus from Town Creek, 0.6 mile east of U.S. Highway 27 on Route S2557, Walker County, Georgia, and as Cambarus (Puncticambarus) sp. nov. A, from some 10 localities in the Conasauga, Coosawattee, Oostanaula, and Etowah basins in Georgia. Hobbs and Hall (1974) noted that it was found in the Conasauga River where the oxygen concentration was 6 mg/1 but was absent downstream where the concentration had dropped to 3.6 mg/1 or less. Hart and Hart (1974) recorded the species as Cambarus (Puncticambarus) sp. from some 15 localities in the Coosa Basin of Alabama and Georgia, where it served as host to the following entocytherid ostracods: Dactylocythere falcata (Hobbs and Walton, 1961), Dt. suteri (Crawford, 1959), Donnaldsoncythere hiwasseensis (= Dn. donnaldsonensis), Entocythere elliptica, E. internotalus, and Uncinocythere simondsi. All known Georgia records are plotted on Figure 91.

DIAGNOSIS.—Body pigmented, eyes well developed. Rostrum with subparallel margins variable in thickness and bearing marginal spines or tubercles. Areola 2.6 to 4.6 times as long as wide and comprising 30.2 to 35.9 percent of entire length of carapace (39.6 to 45.2 percent of postorbital carapace length) and bearing 6 to 13 punctations across narrowest part. Cervical spines strongly developed. Suborbital angle acute to obsolete. Postorbital ridges terminating cephalically in spines or subacute tubercles. Antennal scale approximately 2.5 times as long as broad, mesial and lateral margins subparallel near and at midlength; distomesial margin subtransverse. Chela with almost entire dorsal surface bearing deep punctuations and with 2 or 3 rows of tubercles along mesial margin of palm, mesialmost row consisting of 6 to 11; lateral margin of palm mostly rounded with costa of fixed finger extending onto distal portion; both fingers with well-defined longitudinal ridges dorsally; fixed finger not conspicuously impressed at base; disregarding regenerated chelae, dactyl never more than twice as long as mesial margin of palm. Basis of third pereiopod with tubercle opposing hook on ischium. First pleopod with short terminal elements: corneous central projection not tapering distally, recurved at approximately 115 degrees to main shaft of appendage, and bearing prominent subapical notch; and mesial process inflated, tapering distally, often with acute tip, and directed caudally at angle of about 90 degrees to main shaft. Female with annulus ventralis shallowly embedded in sternum and somewhat asymmetrical; first pleopod present. Carapace with dark saddles immediately anterior to cervical groove and abutting posterior margin. Abdomen with transverse dark bands on caudal part of second through fifth terga.

HOLOTYPIC MALE, FORM I.—Body subovate, depressed (Figure 90a,j). Abdomen narrower than thorax (17.7 and 20.8 mm); maximum width of carapace greater than height at caudodorsal margin of cervical groove (20.8 and 14.9 mm). Areola 4.3 times as long as broad with crowded punctations, 8 across narrowest part; length of areola 35.7 percent of total length of carapace (44.2 percent of postorbital carapace length). Rostrum with slightly thickened, elevated, subparallel margins bearing corneous tubercles at base of moderately long acumen; latter reaching midlength of distal podomere of antennular peduncle and terminating in corneous upturned tip; dorsal surface of rostrum concave with many punctations extending from base almost to apex of acumen. Subrostral ridge well developed and evident in dorsal aspect to marginal tubercles of rostrum. Postorbital ridge moderately prominent, grooved dorsolaterally, and ending cephalically in subacute corneous tubercle. Suborbital angle subacute. Branchiostegal spine strong and acute. Cervical spine well developed. Carapace densely punctate dorsally and strongly granulate laterally on branchiostegites and on all except dorsalmost part of hepatic region.

Abdomen longer than carapace (39.1 and 37.6 mm); pleura rounded to subtruncate ventrally with subangular caudoventral extremities on second through sixth segments. Cephalic section of telson with 2 spines in caudodextral corner, caudosinistral corner injured; free margin of caudal section evenly rounded. Proximal podomere of uropod with acute tip on each lobe; mesial ramus with low submedian dorsal keel ending in small premarginal spine.

Cephalomedian lobe of epistome (Figure 90h) broadly subtriangular with thickened, slightly elevated (ventrally) cephalolateral margins and weakly convex ventral surface; main body with prominent median fovea and epistomal zygoma broadly arched. Ventral surface of proximal segment of antennule with small spine at base of distal third. Antenna broken, in other specimens reaching telson; basis and ischium with spines. Antennal scale (Figure 90g) about 2.6 times as long as broad, with mesial and lateral margins parallel for some distance proximal and distal to midlength; strong distal spine almost reaching distal extremity of antennular peduncle. Mesial half of ischium of third maxilliped with rows of punctations bearing long stiff plumose setae; lateral half possessing submarginal row and few scattered punctations with or without small short setae; laterodistal extremity acute.

Right chela (Figure 90l) about 2.4 times as long as broad and moderately depressed; mesial margin of palm with row of 8 tubercles subtended ventrally by 4 or 5 irregularly placed, and dorsally by row of 3 widely spaced ones, and row of 10 tubercles immediately dorsolateral to latter. Mesial half of dorsal surface of palm with punctations proximally and small squamous tubercles more distally; remainder of palm mostly punctate but with 2 prominent tubercles on ventral surface opposite base of dactyl and group of 3 or 4 proximal to them. Both fingers with low, rounded dorsomedian ridge flanked by setiferous punctations. Fixed finger with row of 13 rounded corneous tubercles on right chela (11 on left) extending from base of opposable margin almost to corneous tip; prominent large tubercle at lower level of margin opposite ninth tubercle in row and smaller one opposite eleventh; also narrow band of minute denticles flanking dorsal row ventrally from level of seventh tubercle from base distally; lateral surface of finger rounded but rather distinctly costate in dorsal aspect; ventral surface punctate. Dactyl with opposable margin bearing row of 11 tubercles similar to those on fixed finger and narrow band of minute denticles extending distally from sixth tubercle from base, band interrupted by succeeding distal tubercles; ventral surface punctate, and mesial surface with subsquamous tubercles along proximal half and row of widely spaced punctations along distal half.

Carpus of cheliped longer than broad (14.2 and 10.0 mm), with deep longitudinal furrow dorsally flanked by punctations laterally and mesially, and with few inconspicuous tubercles dorsomesially; mesial surface with prominent procurved spine and 2 small tubercles near proximomesial articular boss; lateral surface punctate and ventral surface with 2 large acute tubercles on distal margin and 2 proximomesial to mesiodistal tubercle. Dorsal surface of merus with 2 subdistal spiniform tubercles distally, sparsely punctate to smooth mesially and laterally, and with subspiniform tubercle distolaterally; ventral surface with mesial row of 9 tubercles and only 2 in lateral row. Ischium with ventromesial row of 6 tubercles.

Hook on ischium of third pereiopod only, hook (Figure 90i) overreaching basioischial articulation and opposed by tubercle on basis. Coxa of fourth pereiopod with rather weak, vertically disposed but low caudomesial boss. Boss on coxa of fifth pereiopod vestigial, ventral membrane sparsely setiferous.

First pleopod (Figure 90b,d,f) reaching coxa of third pereiopod when abdomen flexed. Mesial process bulbous, tapering distally, and ending in acute tip directed caudolaterally at slightly more than 90 degrees to main axis of shaft; central projection uniformly broad, strongly arched with distal extremity directed caudoproximally and bearing distinct subapical notch. (See “Diagnosis” for description.)

ALLOTYPIC FEMALE.—Differing from holotype, other than in secondary sexual characters, as follows: abdomen subequal in width to thorax; acumen reaching distal end of ultimate podomere of antennular peduncle; subrostral ridge poorly developed and evident dorsally only in caudal orbital region; more lateral row of tubercles along mesial surface of palm reduced to 5 situated along proximal part of palm; area lateral to row entirely punctate; tubercles on ventrodistal surface of palm reduced in size and number; opposable margin of fixed finger with rather conspicuous mat of plumose setae at base and with row of only 8 tubercles; minute denticles on both fingers arranged in single row; only 10 tubercles present in row on opposable margin of dactyl: furrow on dorsal surface of carpus of cheliped broad and shallow. (See “Measurements.”)

Annulus ventralis (Figure 90k) subquadrangular, about 1.6 times as broad as long and situated shallowly in sternum; cephalic half not so strongly calcified as caudal half and bearing median longitudinal trough flanked by pair of ridges; sinus originating in caudodextral extremity of trough and, following tilted S-shaped curve, cutting caudal margin of annulus on median line; tongue extending dextrally with fossa occurring along its caudal margin. Postannular sclerite about 3 times as broad as long and approximately two-thirds as wide as annulus. First pleopod reaching midlength of annulus when abdomen flexed.

MORPHOTYPIC MALE, FORM II.—Differing from holotype in following respects: areola with 11 punctations across narrowest part; mesial surface of palm of chela with both rows consisting of 9 tubercles each; fixed finger with plumose setae in basal portion flanking row of 6 tubercles on opposable margin; corresponding margin of dactyl with row of 8 tubercles; carpus of cheliped with only 1 tubercle on proximomesial surface and ventral surface with only 2 distal ones; merus with 9 tubercles in ventromesial row and strong one ventrolaterally. Hook on ischium of third pereiopod much reduced, not overreaching basioischial articulation, opposable tubercle on basis well developed; boss on caudomesial angle of coxa of fourth pereiopod slightly reduced and that on fifth obsolete. (See “Measurements.”)

First pleopod (Figure 90c,e) with mesial process not differing in most respects from that of holotype; central projection much broader and with only faint indication of subapical notch; shaft of appendage distal to juvenile oblique suture inclined cephalically.

COLOR NOTES (Figure 89a).—Carapace basically tan to olive green with dark brown band on and flanking cephalic side of cervical groove; another transverse band on caudal part of carapace broader and fading cephalically on branchiostegites; dark brown to orange reticulate pattern marking mandibular adductor region: hepatic region bluish green ventral to postorbital ridges and cream marginal band extending across cephalic parts of antennal and mandibular regions; dark splotch present on branchiostegite enveloping cervical spine; rostrum with greenish suffusion dorsally, its margins together with postorbital ridges and cervical spines vermilion. Abdomen olive to olive tan; tergum of first segment with transverse dark purplish-brown band, and it and remaining terga with very narrow, deep burgundy transverse band on caudal margin, fading on pleura; 5 caudal terga also with paired, narrow, angular dark olive to reddish oblique markings dorsolaterally (these sometimes absent); pleuron of first abdominal segment cream with vermilion cephaloventral spot; pleura of succeeding segments with pale marginal band tapering caudoventrally from cephalic extremity. Uropods and telson bluish green with basal podomere bearing reddish orange markings. Antennae and antennules olive tan; antennal scale with orange brown lateral marginal stripe and vermilion distolateral spine, thicker lateral part olive cream and lamella olive tan fading proximomesially. Cheliped with same basic colors as carapace; dorsal surface from merus distally olive to tan with reticulate or speckled pattern on palm of chela; fingers dark proximally and fading to cream or white over distal third; spines, tubercles, and articular condyles vermilion, some tipped with cream. Remaining pereiopods paler than carapace with proximal podomeres cream and distal half of merus progressively dark distally; carpus and propodus light proximally, becoming gradually darker distally; dactyl very pale; dorsodistal margins of merus and carpus with very narrow burgundy band.

In at least one locality in Polk County, Georgia, and in another in Coosa County, Alabama, dark areas on carapace broader and almost black, also bands on caudal margin of each abdominal tergum broader and darker.

TYPES.—The holotypic male, form I, the allotypic female, and the morphotypic male, form II, are deposited in the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, numbers 145603, 145604, 145605, respectively, as are the paratypes that comprise only the following, all collected in Georgia: tributary to Conasauga River 4.6 mi N of Dalton on US Hwy 76, Whitfield Co, 2I, 5II, 4j, 4j, 4j, 16 Apr 1962, J. F. Fitzpatrick, Jr., HHH, collectors; type-locality, 3I, 2, lj, lj, 4 ovig , 27 Apr 1968, E. T. Hall, Jr., HHH; Conasauga River at St Rte 2, Whitfield Co, 6I, 1II, 11, lj, lj, 12 Oct 1969, ETH, HHH; tributary Conasauga River 9.3 mi S of Dalton, Whitfield Co, 5I, 2II, 6II, 6, 6j, 1 ovig , T. L. Johnson, HHH.

Measurements (mm)

TYPE-LOCALITY.—Spring Creek, 8 miles east-southeast of Rome, Floyd County, Georgia, on U.S. Highway 411. There, the clear, swiftly flowing stream is some seven meters wide and 0.3 meter deep. The stream bed is littered with rocks, and while macrophytes are absent, the rocks are coated with algal growths. This area of the stream is partially shaded by Platanus occidentalis, Acer rubrum, and Salix nigra.

RANGE.—The Coosa River basin from Polk and Bradley counties, Tennessee (fide R. W. Bouchard), Murray, Pickens, and Paulding counties, Georgia, to Bibb, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay, Coosa, Shelby, and Talladega counties, Alabama.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED.—I have examined 690 specimens from 81 localities (Figure 91) in the following counties in Georgia: Bartow (7), Chattooga (4), Floyd (21), Gordon (10), Murray (16), Paulding (1), Pickens (1), Polk (4), Walker (3), and Whitfield (14); an additional 51 specimens from the Alabama counties listed under “Range” have also been studied.

VARIATIONS.—In several characteristics, this crayfish is one of the more variable of the Georgia species, but none of the variations noted seem to be isolated in a restricted part of the range of the species. In general, the populations in the Conasauga drainage (northernmost tributary of the Coosa) tend to have fewer (sometimes none) setae at the mesial base of the fixed finger of the chela than are usually present in specimens from elsewhere in the Coosa Basin. The following variations frequently occur among specimens from a single locality. The rostral margins may be comparatively thick and rounded or not noticeably thickened and ridge-like; in addition they vary from almost parallel to strongly convergent, and the marginal spines may be sharp and prominent or reduced to tubercles. The suborbital angle ranges from acute to vestigial and in a limited number of older specimens is obsolete. The areola, always densely punctate (six to 13 across narrowest part), comprises from 29.9 to 35.8 percent of the total length of the carapace (39.6 to 45.6 percent of the postorbital carapace length). The chela is strikingly variable in shape, often with a subrectangular palm as opposed to a more rounded one in dorsal aspect, and, as pointed out above, the fingers may or may not bear a prominent tuft of setae; the gap between the fingers generally is greater in larger individuals; the mesial margin of the palm possesses a well-defined row of six to 11 tubercles flanked dorsally by another row usually of one or two fewer, and occasionally a moderately well defined third row flanks the mesial one ventrally; more often, however, only one or a very few tubercles represent the ventral row.

SIZE.—The largest specimen available is a first form male having a carapace length of 44.4 (postorbital carapace length, 35.0) mm; the corresponding lengths of the largest female are 35.7 and 28.2 mm, of the smallest male, form I, 25.2 and 19.6 mm, and of the smallest ovigerous female, 25.2 and 19.9 mm.

Cambarus coosae er en art av ferskvannskreps eller «hulekreps» av slekten av ferskvannskreps (familie Cambaridae, orden Reptantia) som inngår i den store gruppen av såkalte tifotkreps. Dette er en av i alt om lag 100 arter i slekten med det som på engelsk kalles enten bare «crayfish», eller «cave crayfish».

Utbredelsen er begrenset med forekomster i elver og innsjøer i deler av Nord-Amerika.