Reticulate Crayfish

National Range: Eastern Tennessee, southwestern Virginia, western North Carolina, northern Alabama, and northwestern Georgia (Hobbs 1981)

NC Physiographic Region(s): Blue Ridge Mountains/Valley and Ridge boundary zone

River Basin(s): French Broad

Distribution:  Madison County

Adult Habitat: Creeks and rivers with moderate current and rocky substrata where it occurs under rocks and in leaf litter (Hobbs 1981)

Reproductive Season: spring and fall; extended?

Species associates: C. (C.) latimanus, C. (C.) bartonii, C. (H.) longirostris, C. (L.) acanthura, O. forceps

Conservation status: not protected

Identification references: Hobbs 1981, Fitzpatrick 1967

Taxonomic Description:
 

• body shape:
• coloration: pale to dark tan with overlying reticulate pattern of charcoal; chelae olive-tan with ends of fingers black; pereiopods pale tan with olive-brown bands
• spines: strong cervical spines; cephalic spines
• rostrum: long rostrum with parallel margins and well-defined marginal spines or tubercles; margins moderately thickened
• areola: 2-6 punctations in narrowest part
• chelae: mesial margin of palm has at least two rows of tubercles; larger individuals often having gape between fingers
• other characteristics:
• form I male gonopod: central projection constituting no more than 1/3 mesial length of appendage; mesial process almost or quite as long as central projection; both straight; mesial process truncate or acute, sometimes concealing tip of central projection in caudal aspect

Notes: First discovered in NC in the lower French Broad River, 2012.