Procambarus acutus (Girard, 1852)

Morehouse, Reid L. & Tobler, Michael, 2013, Crayfishes (Decapoda: Cambaridae) of Oklahoma: identification, distributions, and natural history, Zootaxa 3717 (2), pp. 101-157 : 135

Procambarus acutus (Girard, 1852) : White River Crawfish

General charateristics. Adults rarely exceed 140 mm in total length. The carapace is laterally compressed with small tubercles along the sides giving it a granular texture, and the areola is open. The rostrum is moderately excavated and the acumen is short and separated from the rostrum by spines or tubercles. Chelae are slender and densely covered with tubercles. In form I males, gonopods have four short processes, three of which are strongly curved laterally to the midline. The gonopods do not have a prominent shoulder. In females, the fossa of the annulus ventralis is located to the right of body midline and partially covered by the largest of three tubercles present (Taylor & Schuster, 2004).

Life coloration. The background color can range from a deep burgundy red to a light brown. The abdomen exhibits a broad, black, wedge shaped stripe running longitudinally ( Figure 73 ). Tubercles along the body and the chelae are light tan in color. The ventral side is light tan to white.

Similar species. In Oklahoma, P. acutus closely resembles P. clarkii . These species can be distinguished by the shape of gonopods in form I males, as P. clarkii has a shoulder on the cephalic surface and P. acutus lacks a shoulder. Additionally, the areola in P. clarkii is closed and open in P. acutus .

Distribution and habitat. Procambarus acutus has a large, disjunct distribution including large portions of eastern United States from Maine to Georgia, along the Gulf Coast from Florida to Mexico, northward through the Mississippi Valley and along the southern Great Lakes from Minnesota to Ohio (Hobbs, 1989). In Oklahoma, P. acutus is found statewide. Our ecological niche model confirms the known distribution of P. acutus throughout the state, indicating that the entire state except for the panhandle provides suitable environmental conditions ( Figure 74 ). Procambarus acutus is very adaptable and can be found in creeks, marshes, swamps, wetlands, wet depressional areas, and roadside ditches. This species will burrow to escape drying conditions and is a secondary burrower.

Life history. Form I and II males and ovigerous females or females with young have been found year round (Pflieger, 1996; Taylor & Schuster, 2004; Turner, 1926). In Oklahoma, we have collected form I males and females with young on warm days in February. The number of young attached the female ranged from 26 to 72. Form II males and females are present throughout the year. Based on the known collections, it is likely that P. acutus reproduces mainly in the fall and winter.

Syntopic species. Cambarus ludovicianus , Orconectes nais , Orconectes virilis , Procambarus clarkii , Procambarus gracilis , and Procambarus simulans .

Conservation status. AFS: Currently Stable; Heritage Rank: Widespread (G5); IUCN: Least Concern; ODWC: Not Listed.

Additional resources. Eversole & Mazlum (2002); Mazlum (2005, 2007); Mazlum et al. (2007); Mazlum & Eversole (2005); Simon et al. (2005).

Figures

FIGURES 69 – 76. 69. Orconectes saxatilis 70. Potential distribution of Orconectes saxatilis 71. Orconectes virilis 72. Potential distribution of Orconectes virilis 73. Procambarus acutus 74. Potential distribution of Procambarus acutus 75. Procambarus clarkii 76. Potential distribution of Procambarus clarkii.