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Cambarus longulus

Girard, 1852

Atlantic Slope Crayfish

G5Secure Found in 4 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
MediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.113406
Element CodeICMAL07290
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryInvertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumArthropoda
ClassMalacostraca
OrderDecapoda
FamilyCambaridae
GenusCambarus
Concept Reference
Hobbs, H. H., Jr. 1989. An Illustrated Checklist of the American Crayfishes (Decapoda: Astacidae, Cambaridae, and Parastacidae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 480:1-236.
Conservation Status
Review Date2009-07-01
Change Date1996-02-19
Edition Date2010-08-05
Edition AuthorsCordeiro, J.
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Cambarus longulus is a species of least conservation concern This species is abundant in its type locality and has an extensive extent of occurrence (5000-20000 sq. km). Although faced by the threat of agricultural runoff and mining activity in some regions, overall it is still maintaining viable populations throughout much of its range.
Range Extent Comments
Atlantic watershed from the James drainage in Virginia and West Virginia south to the Yadkin Basin in North Carolina, in mountains and piedmont.
Occurrences Comments
Cambarus longulus is found abundantly in Reed Creek, Wythe County, Virginia. In West Virginia, it only occurs in a small portion of the James River system (Jezerinac et al., 1995; Loughman and Welsh, 2010).
Threat Impact Comments
In parts of its range it is susceptible to sedimentation from logging and is sensitive to pollution from mining and quarrying (T. Jones, pers. comm., 2009).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Cambarus longulus is highly restricted to rocky areas of permanent freshwater streams and rivers. They live in moderately to swiftly flowing rivers, cool to cold water (James 1966)
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
VirginiaS4Yes
North CarolinaS4Yes
West VirginiaS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
3 - Energy production & miningUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
3.2 - Mining & quarryingUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
9 - PollutionUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
9.3 - Agricultural & forestry effluentsUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (4)
Virginia (3)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
West Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mottesheard (WV)Jefferson National Forest3,964
References (9)
  1. Cooper, J.E. 2010. Annotated checklist of the crayfishes of North Carolina, and correlations of distributions with hydrologic units and physiographic provinces. Journal of the North Carolina Academy of Science 126(3):69-76.
  2. Cooper, J. E., and A. L. Braswell. 1995. Observations of North Carolina crayfishes (Decapoda: Cambaridae). Brimleyana 22:87-132.
  3. Crandall, K. A., and S. De Grave. 2017. An updated classification of the freshwater crayfishes (Decapoda: Astacidea) of the world, with a complete species list. Journal of Crustacean Biology 37(5):615-653.
  4. Hobbs, H. H., Jr. 1989. An Illustrated Checklist of the American Crayfishes (Decapoda: Astacidae, Cambaridae, and Parastacidae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 480:1-236.
  5. Jezerinac, R. F., G. W. Stocker, and D. C. Tarter. 1995. The Crayfishes (Decapoda: Cambaridae) of West Virginia. Bulletin of the Ohio Biological Survey, Vol. 10, No. 1. Ohio Biological Survey, College of Biological Sciences, The Ohio State University, and Nongame Wildlife and Natural Heritage Programs, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Columbus, Ohio. 193 pp.
  6. Loughman, Z.J. and S.A. Welsh. 2010. Distribution and conservation standing of West Virginia crayfishes. Southeastern Naturalist 9 (special issue 3):63-78.
  7. McLaughlin, P. A., D. K. Camp, M. V. Angel, E. L. Bousfield, P. Brunel, R. C. Brusca, D. Cadien, A. C. Cohen, K. Conlan, L. G. Eldredge, D. L. Felder, J. W. Goy, T. Haney, B. Hann, R. W. Heard, E. A. Hendrycks, H. H. Hobbs III, J. R. Holsinger, B. Kensley, D. R. Laubitz, S. E. LeCroy, R. Lemaitre, R. F. Maddocks, J. W. Martin, P. Mikkelsen, E. Nelson, W. A. Newman, R. M. Overstreet, W. J. Poly, W. W. Price, J. W. Reid, A. Robertson, D. C. Rogers, A. Ross, M. Schotte, F. Schram, C. Shih, L. Watling, G. D. F. Wilson, and D. D. Turgeon. 2005. Common and Scientific Names of Aquatic Invertebrates from the United States and Canada: Crustaceans. American Fisheries Society Special Publication 31. 545 pp.
  8. Smart, G.C. Jr. 1962. The life history of <i>Cambarus longulus longulus</i>. American Midland Naturalist 68:83-94.
  9. Taylor, C. A., G. A. Schuster, J. E. Cooper, R. J. DiStefano, A. G. Eversole, P. Hamr, H. H. Hobbs III, H. W. Robison, C. E. Skelton, and R. F. Thoma. 2007. A reassessment of the conservation status of crayfishes of the United States and Canada after 10+ years of increased awareness. Fisheries 32(8):371-389.