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| Procambarus Reimeri |
Scientific Name : Procambarus Reimeri
Native : United States (Arkansas)
Procambarus reimeri is a species of crayfish in the family Cambaridae. It is endemic to the Upper Irons Fork of the Ouachita River basin in Polk County, Arkansas
Procambarus reimeri has been assessed as Data Deficient. This species has an extent of occurrence of less than 100 km2 , and occurs in six localities. However, no major threats have been identified. Though, due to this species' restricted range and low population abundance, it is susceptible to any event which will cause habitat degradation. Further research is required to determine the abundance of this species, and to what extent it is impacted upon by threats within its range. If with further research this species is found to be impacted upon by a major threat process, it will qualify for uplisting to Endangered under criterion B.
Initially, this species was known from only 20 adults and 99 juveniles. In 2008, 52 individuals were recorded in the Ouachita National Forest (US Forest Service 2008). Evidence of viability includes dozens of individuals including juveniles at a few sites (K. Crandall pers. comm. 2009).
Recognition Characters Procambarus Reimeri : Rostrum without marginal spines and median carina. Carapace lacking cervical spine or tubercle. Areola about 20.5 times as long as broad and constituting about 37.5 percent of total length of carapace. Postorbital ridge lacking cephalic spine or tubercle. Branchiostegal spine vestigial or absent. Ischium of third periopod of first form male with simple hook overreaching basioschial articulation. First pleopods reaching coxae of third periopods, symmetrical, bearing proximomesial spur and cephalic shoulder at base of terminal elements, lacking subterminal setae but with cephalomesial row of setae along distal third to half of appendage. Terminal elements consisting of
(1) long, tapering, slightly curved mesial process extending distally beyond other terminals;
(2) small acute slightly curved, but distally directed cephalic process at cephalic base of mesial process;
(3) rather inconspicuous but composite central projection arising from between bases of cephalic, mesial and caudal processes, and closely associated with the latter; and
(4) very prominent caudal process subacute and obscuring central projection in lateral aspect and somewhat rounded distally and flattened caudally in caudal aspect.
Coloration Procambarus Reimeri : Carapace coloration pinkish cream. Dorsolateral part of branchiostegites suffused with brown; posterior part of mandibular adductor region, areola, and posterodorsal region pinkish brown. First abdominal tergum dark brick red, second through fifth terga cherry, and sixth, together with all pleura, telson, and uropods, similarly colored but suffused with tan. Cheliped pinkish cream from base to proximal half or two-thirds of merus, where becoming olive tan or brown; chela olive mesially and dorsally, and pinkish orange ventrally and laterally.
Size: Adults are approximately 3 to 5 inches (76-127 mm) in total length
Habitat Procambarus Reimeri : This burrowing species was found in roadside ditches and low wet seepage areas.
General Range: This is another Arkansas endemic crayfish confined to upper Irons Fork of Ouachita River in Polk County, Arkansas (Hobbs and Robison, 1988; Robison and Allen, 1995).
This species is a primary burrower and occurs in ditches and temporary pools (Hobbs 1979).
As this is a burrowing crayfish in a limited area, it is susceptible to habitat degradation coupled with the potential for such degradation throughout its range (Crandall et al. 2009)
Procambarus Reimeri has been given a NatureServe Global Heritage Status Rank of G1, and was assigned an American Fisheries Society Status of 'endangered', based on its restricted range and ongoing habitat degradation (Taylor et al. 2007, NatureServe 2009). Further research is on the threats to this species.
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