Faxonius deanae

Based on Crandall and De Grave (2017), the representatives of Orconectes form at least two distinct groups. The nominal group (the "cave Orconectes") form a monophyletic group that is more closely related to members of Cambarus, while the remaining "Orconectes" are more closely related to Barbicambarus, Creaserinus, and other species of Cambarus (Crandall and Fitzpatrick 1996, Fetzner 1996). As the type species of Orconectes, Orconectes inermis Cope, 1872, belongs to the cave-dwelling group, the genus is herein restricted to just those taxa. The surface-dwelling taxa now excluded from Orconectes sensu stricto are herein placed in the resurrected genus Faxonius Ortmann, 1905a, the oldest available name previously considered to be a synonym of Orconectes Cope, 1872.

Known from portions of three states with several new occurrences in multiple counties in Oklahoma (expanded known range significantly) but has competition from introduced crayfish. There is a lack of information concerning the presence of the species between the East and Western proportion of its range. It is likely to be contiguous across this area, but this requires further investigation. There is a plausible threat of competition from O. rusticus which was introduced to Conchas Lake in the early 1980s. Currently, it is not known whether this species has extended its distribution beyond the lake, but data from other parts of the O. rusticus range suggests that this is likely. Further research on the impact and spread of O. rusticus and O. denae distribution is recommended in order to make a robust classification.

Initially it was known only from vicinity of type-locality (Conchas Lake and River) in San Miguel and Quay County, New Mexico (Bouchard, 1977). Recently it was discovered in Woodward, Canadian, Major, Muskogee, Okfuskee Counties (Taylor et al., 2004), Oklahoma, expanding range beyond the Canadian River drainage in New Mexico 840 km east into the North Canadian River drainage (almost across the whole length of Oklahoma) plus one Arkansas River drainage record. A record also exists for a single lake in the eastern Texas panhandle (Johnson and Johnson, 2008).

It was previously known only from vicinity of type-locality (Conchas Lake and also Conchas Canal and Conchas River) and San Miguel and Quay Counties in New Mexico (Bouchard, 1977) but recent discoveries have been made in Oklahoma including Canadian (North Canadian River), Major (North Canadian River), Muskogee (Arkansas River), Okfuskee (Alabama Creek), and Woodward (North Canadian River, Fort Supply Lake) Counties in Oklahoma (Taylor et al., 2004). In Texas, it is found only in Lake Marvin located in the Texas panhandle; and previously from localities farther up the Canadian basin in New Mexico and farther down that basin in Oklahoma (Johnson and Johnson, 2008). It is now know to occur widely in the North Canadian River main stem and associated reservoirs. Several records of O. deanae in the North Canadian River and one record in the Arkansas River in LeFlore County were found among Jimmie Pigg material (Bergey et al., 2005).

Orconectes rusticus was introduced to the Conchas Lake reservoir around 25 years ago (Taylor et al., 2004), which drains into the Canadian river where this species is found. However, at this time, nobody has surveyed to see whether O. rusticus has extended beyond the reservoir (C. Taylor, pers. comm., 2009).