Carolina Ladle Crayfish

National Range: “Apparently limited to the upper Neuse and Cape Fear river basins in the eastern Piedmont Plateau of North Carolina” (Cooper 2000a).

NC Physiographic Region(s): eastern upper piedmont

River Basin(s): upper Cape Fear, upper Neuse

Adult Habitat: streams (under larger rocks) and burrows

Reproductive Season: mate from spring through winter, spawn in early spring

Species associates: C. (D.) latimanus, C. (P.) sp. C,and C. (D.) reduncus (however, usually collected alone)

Conservation status: undetermined because it was only recently described

Identification and Illustration references: Cooper 2000a

Taxonomic Description:

• body shape: carapace vaulted, similar in shape to C.bartonii
• coloration: dark olive, sometimes light brown with orange or tan overtones, tubercles tan to orangeish
• spines: cervical spines reduced to multiple tubercles, branchiostegal spine weak, tuberculate hepatic region
• rostrum: acarinate and deeply concave, margins elevated and subparallel, constricted at base of acumen, lacking marginal spines ortubercles
• areola: narrow-medium in width, sparsely punctate with 2-3 punctations across narrowest part
• chelae: medium-heavy, mesial margin with usually 2 rows of tubercles,well-defined dorsolongitudinal ridges
• other characteristics: suborbital angle obtuse to obsolete
• form I male gonopod: terminal elements short; corneous central projection truncated and with subapical notch, curved over 90 degrees to plane of shaft; mesial process; mesial process bulbous, slightly constricted at based of caudal third, apex extending slightly further than central projection

Notes: only member of this subgenus in these endemic North Carolina river basins; closest relative is likely in Roanoke River Basin