Cambarus

{{Short description|Genus of crayfishes}} {{Automatic taxobox | image=Chattooga River Crayfish (14174938652).jpg |image_caption=''Cambarus scotti'' | taxon = Cambarus | authority = Erichson, 1846 | type_species = ''Cambarus bartonii'' | type_species_authority = Fabricius, 1798<ref>{{cite journal |title=A Checklist of the North and Middle American Crayfishes (Decapoda: Astacidae and Cambaridae) |author=Horton H. Hobbs Jr. |year=1974 |journal=Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology |volume=166 |issue=166 |pages=1–161 |doi=10.5479/si.00810282.166|author-link=Horton H. Hobbs Jr.}}</ref> }}

'''''Cambarus''''' is a large and diverse genus of crayfish from the United States and Canada. The adults range in size from about {{convert|5|cm|abbr=on}} up to approximately {{convert|15|cm|abbr=on}}.

== Description == The genus ''Cambarus'' is the second largest freshwater crayfish genus inhabiting the Northern Hemisphere, with only sixty fewer species than the genus ''Procambarus''.<ref name=":0" /> Though ''Cambarus'' are varied across species, the two terminal elements that make up the male form I gonopod form ninety degree angles with the central appendage, allowing for their identification. Unlike the genus ''Procambarus'' whose first pleopod tends to have three processes at the tip, ''Cambarus'' has only one or two.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Biology and Ecology of Crayfish|last=Longshaw|first=Matt|publisher=CRC Press|year=2016|isbn=9781498767323|location=New York|pages=17–18}}</ref> ''Cambarus'' reach {{convert|17–26|mm|abbr=on}} carapace lengths in their first year, while average adult carapace length ranges from {{convert|55–62|mm|abbr=on}}.<ref name=":3" /> The name ''Cambarus'' comes from an alteration of Latin ''cammarus'', meaning "lobster".{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

As a genus containing nearly 100 species, ''Cambarus's'' coloration is variable.<ref name=":0" /> ''Cambarus bartonii'' is dark brown, while species like ''Cambarus pauleyi'' range from subtle to vibrant blues and reds.<ref name=":0" /> Other species are light green or grayish in color.<ref name=":0" />

== Biogeography == Most species of ''Cambarus'' are restricted to the United States and Canada. They are distributed along the eastern coast, extending from New Brunswick to northern Florida.<ref name=":0" /> However, the genus extends as far westward as the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming and Colorado, inhabiting a variety of freshwater environments.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://eol.org/pages/313082/details|title=Cambarus diogenes|last=Cordeiro|first=J.|date=2014|website=Encyclopedia of Life|access-date=March 29, 2018}}</ref>

=== Habitat === ''Cambarus'' occupy a range of freshwater environments including streams, rivers, lakes, and burrows. Burrowing species of the genus include ''Cambarus dubius''.<ref name=":0" /> ''Cambarus'' also include many cave-dwelling species, both stygobites and stygophiles.<ref name=":3" /> While salinity and temperature changes minimally affect ''Cambarus'', the genus has shown an intolerance to pollution.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=Buhay|first=J|display-authors=et al|date=February 2007|title=Molecular taxonomy in the dark: Evolutionary history, phylogeography, and diversity of cave crayfish in the subgenus Aviticambarus, genus Cambarus|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|volume=42|issue=2|pages=435–448|doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2006.07.014|pmid=16971141}}</ref>

== Ecology == === Diet === Like other crayfish, ''Cambarus'' are foragers. Diets are largely plant-based, though ''Cambarus'' also consume small marine organisms like molluscs, larvae, tadpoles and amphibian eggs. ''Cambarus'' consume small rodents or birds when available.<ref name=":3" /> In their first year, ''Cambarus'' typically consume 1-4% of their overall body-weight each day.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|title=Biology of Freshwater Crayfish|last=Holdich|first=David M.|publisher=Blackwell Science|year=2002|isbn=978-0-632-05431-2|location=London|pages=609–613}}</ref> The genus is central to many freshwater food webs as they help maintain water quality through consumption of algae.<ref name=":2" />

=== Vulnerability === One of the largest crayfish genera, ''Cambarus'' includes a sizable number of vulnerable species.<ref name=":2" /> Cave-dwellers like ''Cambarus jonesi'' are at risk due to their lack of genetic diversity and low population count. Other species like ''Cambarus veteranus'' are at risk due to human practices like logging and mining, which increase sediment amounts in freshwater environments.<ref name=":0" /> Increased sediment causes these freshwater environments to be uninhabitable, and ''Cambarus'' are forced to relocate as a result.<ref name=":0" />

=== Growth === Molting occurs among ''Cambarus'' approximately 5-10 times during their first year, and 3-5 times during subsequent years. ''Cambarus'' remain relatively inactive during periods of molting, as the shedding of chitinous exoskeletons leaves them more vulnerable to predation and injury.<ref name=":3" /> Many species of ''Cambarus'' continue to grow well into adulthood.<ref name=":3" />

=== Reproduction === ''Cambarus'' typically mate in the early spring. Both ''Cambarus bartonii'' and ''Cambarus robustus'' only mate once during their three-year life span, with females of both carrying fewer eggs than those of the genus ''Orconectes''.<ref name=":3" />

== Gallery == {{Gallery | File:Cambarus aculabrum.jpg | ''Cambarus aculabrum'' | File:Big Sandy crayfish (16382866013).jpg | ''Cambarus callainus'' | File:Cambarus georgiae (3086810921).jpg | ''Cambarus georgiae'' | File:Blue Crayfish - Cambarus monongalensis (165812772).jpg | ''Cambarus monongalensis'' | File:Blackbarred Crayfish (13990939860).jpg | ''Cambarus unestami'' }}

==Classification== The genus ''Cambarus'' contains around 100 species,<ref>{{ITIS |taxon=''Cambarus'' |id=97337}}</ref> many of which are listed on the IUCN Red List.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=IUCN |title=Search |work=IUCN Red List |url=http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/search |access-date=October 7, 2010}}</ref> Species in the genus were formerly divided among 12 subgenera.<ref>{{cite web |author=James W. Fetzner Jr. |date=January 14, 2008 |title=Genus ''Cambarus'' Erichson, 1846 |work=Crayfish Taxon Browser |publisher=Carnegie Museum of Natural History |access-date=March 9, 2010 |url=http://iz.carnegiemnh.org/crayfish/NewAstacidea/genus.asp?g=Cambarus |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429050406/http://iz.carnegiemnh.org/crayfish/NewAstacidea/genus.asp?g=Cambarus |archive-date=April 29, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In a 2017 study,<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Crandall|first1=Keith A|last2=De Grave|first2=Sammy|date=September 2017|title=An updated classification of the freshwater crayfishes (Decapoda: Astacidea) of the world, with a complete species list|url=http://academic.oup.com/jcb/article/37/5/615/4060680/An-updated-classification-of-the-freshwater|journal=Journal of Crustacean Biology|language=en|volume=37|issue=5|pages=615–653|doi=10.1093/jcbiol/rux070|issn=0278-0372|doi-access=free|url-access=subscription}}</ref> these subgenera were found to lack any phylogenetic validity and were therefore eliminated.

{{div col|colwidth=24em}} *''Cambarus aculabrum'' Hobbs & Brown, 1987 24px|CR – Benton County cave crayfish *''Cambarus acuminatus'' Faxon, 1884 24px|LC - Acuminate Crayfish<ref name="red">{{cite journal |last1=Williams |first1=BW |last2=Delekta |first2=EM |last3=Loughman |first3=ZJ |title=Redescription and circumscription of the Acuminate Crayfish, Cambarus acuminatus Faxon, 1884 (Decapoda: Cambaridae) |journal=Zootaxa |date=22 February 2019 |volume=4560 |issue=1 |pages=40–50 |doi=10.11646/zootaxa.4560.1.2 |pmid=30790990 |s2cid=73459024 |url=https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4560.1.2 |access-date=26 March 2022|url-access=subscription }}</ref> *''Cambarus adustus'' Thoma, Fetzner, Stocker and Loughman, 2016<ref>{{ITIS|id=1133603|taxon=''Cambarus adustus''|access-date=25 March 2022}}</ref> 24px|DD - Dusky Mudbug *''Cambarus aldermanorum'' J. E. Cooper and Price, 2010<ref>{{ITIS|id=1133604|taxon=''Cambarus aldermanorum''|access-date=25 March 2022}}</ref> 24px|DD *''Cambarus andersoni'' Jones and Eversole, 2015<ref>{{ITIS|id=1133605|taxon=''Cambarus andersoni''|access-date=25 March 2022}}</ref> 24px|DD *''Cambarus angularis'' Hobbs & R. W. Bouchard, 1994 24px|NT *''Cambarus appalachiensis'' Loughman, Welsh and Thoma, 2017<ref>{{ITIS|id=1133606|taxon=''Cambarus appalachiensis''|access-date=25 March 2022}}</ref> 24px|DD *''Cambarus asperimanus'' Faxon, 1914 24px|LC *''Cambarus bartonii'' (Fabricius, 1798) 24px|LC – Appalachian Brook Crayfish *''Cambarus batchi'' Schuster, 1973 24px|LC – bluegrass crayfish *''Cambarus bouchardi'' Hobbs, 1970 24px|VU – Big South Fork crayfish *''Cambarus brachydactylus'' Hobbs, 1953 24px|LC *''Cambarus brimleyorum'' Cooper, 2006 24px|DD *''Cambarus buntingi'' R. W. Bouchard, 1973 24px|LC – Bunting crayfish *''Cambarus callainus'' Thoma, Loughman & Fetzner, 2014 <ref>{{cite journal |author1=Roger F. Thoma |author2=Zachary J. Loughman |author3=James W. Fetzner Jr. |year=2014 |title=''Cambarus (Puncticambarus) callainus'', a new species of crayfish (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from the Big Sandy River basin in Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia, USA |journal=Zootaxa |volume=3900 |issue=4 |pages=541–554 |doi=10.11646/zootaxa.3900.4.5|pmid=25543755 |url=http://mapress.com/zootaxa/2014/f/zt03900p554.pdf }}</ref> - Big Sandy crayfish *''Cambarus carinirostris'' Hay, 1914 24px|LC – Rock Crayfish *''Cambarus carolinus'' (Erichson, 1846) 24px|LC *''Cambarus catagius'' Hobbs & Perkins, 1967 24px|DD – Greensboro Burrowing Crayfish *''Cambarus causeyi'' Reimer, 1966 24px|LC *''Cambarus chasmodactylus'' James, 1966 24px|LC – New River crayfish *''Cambarus chaugaensis'' Prins & Hobbs, 1972 24px|LC – Chauga crayfish *''Cambarus clairitae'' Schuster and Taylor, 2016 <ref>{{ITIS|id=1133604|taxon=''Cambarus clairitae''|access-date=25 March 2022}}</ref> 24px|DD *''Cambarus clivosus'' Taylor, Soucek & Organ, 2006 24px|VU *''Cambarus conasaugaensis'' Hobbs & Hobbs III, 1962 24px|DD *''Cambarus coosae'' Hobbs, 1981 24px|LC *''Cambarus coosawattae'' Hobbs, 1981 24px|NT – Coosawattae crayfish *''Cambarus cracens'' R. W. Bouchard & Hobbs, 1976 24px|EN *''Cambarus crinipes'' R. W. Bouchard, 1973 24px|LC *''Cambarus cryptodytes'' Hobbs, 1941 24px|LC – Dougherty Plain cave crayfish *''Cambarus cumberlandensis'' Hobbs & R. W. Bouchard, 1973 24px|LC – Cumberland crayfish *''Cambarus cymatilis'' Hobbs, 1970 24px|EN – Conasauga blue burrower *''Cambarus davidi'' J. E. Cooper, 2000 24px|LC – Carolina Ladle Crayfish *''Cambarus deweesae'' R. W. Bouchard & Etnier, 1979 24px|LC – valley flame crayfish *''Cambarus distans'' Rhoades, 1944 24px|LC – boxclaw crawfish *''Cambarus diupalma'' Jones and Eversole, 2015<ref>{{ITIS|id=1133619|taxon=''Cambarus diupalma''|access-date=25 March 2022}}</ref> 24px|DD *''Cambarus doughertyensis'' Cooper & Skelton, 2003 24px|DD - Dougherty burrowing crayfish *''Cambarus dubius'' Faxon, 1884 24px|LC – upland burrowing crayfish *''Cambarus ectopistes'' Loughman & Williams, 2021<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Loughman |first1=Zachary J |last2=Williams |first2=Bronwyn W |title=Cambarus ectopistes sp. nov., a new stream-dwelling crayfish (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from the French Broad, Pigeon, and Nolichucky River watersheds in the Appalachian Mountain region of North Carolina and Tennessee, USA |journal=Zootaxa |date=December 2021 |volume=5082 |issue=4 |pages=322–340 |doi=10.11646/zootaxa.5082.4.2|pmid=35390961 |s2cid=245339895 |url=https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.5082.4.2 |access-date=27 March 2022|url-access=subscription }}</ref> 24px|DD *''Cambarus eeseeohensis'' Thoma, 2005 24px|VU *''Cambarus elkensis'' Jezerinac & Stocker, 1993 24px|VU – Elk River crayfish *''Cambarus englishi'' Hobbs & Hall, 1972 24px|LC *''Cambarus extraneus'' Hagen, 1870 24px|DD – Chickamauga crayfish *''Cambarus fasciatus'' Hobbs, 1981 24px|DD – Etowah crayfish *''Cambarus fetzneri'' Loughman, Welsh & Thoma, 2019 – Allegheny Mountain mudbug *''Cambarus friaufi'' Hobbs, 1953 24px|LC – hairy crayfish *''Cambarus gentryi'' Hobbs, 1970 24px|LC *''Cambarus georgiae'' Hobbs, 1981 24px|LC – Little Tennessee crayfish *''Cambarus girardianus'' Faxon, 1884 24px|LC *''Cambarus graysoni'' Faxon, 1914 24px|LC – Two-spot crayfish *''Cambarus guenteri'' Loughman, Henkanaththegedara, Fetzner and Thoma, 2017<ref>{{ITIS|id=1133623|taxon=''Cambarus guenteri''|access-date=25 March 2022}}</ref> 24px|DD *''Cambarus halli'' Hobbs, 1968 24px|LC *''Cambarus hamulatus'' (Cope, 1881) 24px|LC – Prickly cave crayfish *''Cambarus harti'' Hobbs, 1981 24px|EN – Piedmont blue burrower *''Cambarus hatfeildi'' Z. J. Loughman, 2013 24px|DD *''Cambarus hazardi'' Loughman, Henkanaththegedara, Fetzner and Thoma, 2017<ref>{{ITIS|id=1133626|taxon=''Cambarus hazardi''|access-date=25 March 2022}}</ref> 24px|DD *''Cambarus hiwasseensis'' Hobbs, 1981 24px|LC – Hiwassee crayfish *''Cambarus hobbsorum'' J. E. Cooper, 2001 24px|LC – Rocky River crayfish *''Cambarus howardi'' Hobbs & Hall, 1969 24px|LC – Chattahoochee crayfish *''Cambarus hubbsi'' Creaser, 1931 24px|LC *''Cambarus hubrichti'' Hobbs, 1952 24px|DD – Salem cave crayfish *''Cambarus hystricosus'' Cooper & Cooper, 2003 24px|LC *''Cambarus jezerinaci'' Thoma, 2000 24px|DD *''Cambarus johni'' Cooper, 2006 24px|LC *''Cambarus jonesi'' Hobbs & Barr, 1960 24px|LC – Alabama cave crayfish *''Cambarus laconensis'' Buhay & Crandall, 2009 <ref name="Buhay">{{cite journal |author1=Jennifer E. Buhay |author2=Keith A. Crandall|author-link2=Keith A. Crandall |year=2009 |title=Taxonomic revision of cave crayfish in the genus ''Cambarus'' subgenus ''Aviticambraus'' (Decapoda: Cambaridae) with descriptions of two new species, ''C. speleocoopi'' and ''C. laconensis'', endemic to Alabama, U.S.A. |journal=Journal of Crustacean Biology |volume=29 |issue=1 |pages=121–134 |doi=10.1651/08-3089.1 |doi-access=free }}</ref> 24px|CR - Lacon Exit cave crayfish *''Cambarus latimanus'' (Le Conte, 1856) 24px|LC *''Cambarus lenati'' J. E. Cooper, 2000 24px|NT – Broad River crayfish *''Cambarus lentiginosus'' Jones and Eversole, 2016<ref>{{ITIS|id=1133632|taxon=''Cambarus lentiginosus''|access-date=25 March 2022}}</ref> 24px|DD *''Cambarus longirostris'' Faxon, 1885 24px|LC *''Cambarus longulus'' Girard, 1852 24px|LC *''Cambarus loughmani'' Foltz II ''et al.'', 2018 - Blue Teays mudbug *''Cambarus maculatus'' Hobbs & Pflieger, 1988 24px|LC – freckled crayfish *''Cambarus magerae'' Thoma and Fetzner, 2015<ref>{{ITIS|id=1133633|taxon=''Cambarus magerae''|access-date=25 March 2022}}</ref> 24px|DD *''Cambarus manningi'' Hobbs, 1981 24px|LC *''Cambarus monongalensis'' Ortmann, 1905 24px|LC - Monongahela or blue crayfish *''Cambarus nerterius'' Hobbs, 1964 24px|NT – Greenbrier cave crayfish *''Cambarus nodosus'' R. W. Bouchard & Hobbs, 1976 24px|LC *''Cambarus obeyensis'' Hobbs & Shoup, 1947 24px|CR – Obey crayfish *''Cambarus obstipus'' Hall, 1959 24px|LC *''Cambarus ocoeensis'' Thoma & Williams, 2025 *''Cambarus ortmanni'' Williamson, 1907 24px|LC – Ortmann mudbug *''Cambarus parrishi'' Hobbs, 1981 24px|DD – Hiwassee headwater crayfish *''Cambarus parvoculus'' Hobbs & Shoup, 1947 24px|LC – mountain midget crayfish *''Cambarus pauleyi'' Loughman, Thoma, Fetzner and Stocker, 2015<ref>{{ITIS|id=1133634|taxon=''Cambarus pauleyi''|access-date=25 March 2022}}</ref> 24px|DD *''Cambarus pecki'' (Hobbs, 1967) <ref name="Buhay"/> 24px|EN - phantom cave crayfish *''Cambarus polypilosus'' Loughman & Williams, 2018<ref>{{ITIS|id=1134165|taxon=''Cambarus polypilosus''|access-date=25 March 2022}}</ref> 24px|DD *''Cambarus pristinus'' Hobbs, 1965 24px|DD – pristine crayfish *''Cambarus pyronotus'' R. W. Bouchard, 1978 24px|DD – fireback crayfish *''Cambarus reburrus'' Prins, 1968 24px|LC – French Broad crayfish *''Cambarus reduncus'' Hobbs, 1956 24px|LC *''Cambarus reflexus'' Hobbs, 1981 24px|LC *''Cambarus robustus'' Girard, 1852 24px|LC – big water crayfish *''Cambarus rusticiformis'' Rhoades, 1944 24px|LC – Depression crayfish *''Cambarus sciotensis'' Rhoades, 1944 24px|LC – Teays River crayfish *''Cambarus scotti'' Hobbs, 1981 24px|LC – Chattooga crayfish *''Cambarus setosus'' Faxon, 1889 24px|NT – bristly cave crayfish *''Cambarus sheltae'' (J. E. Cooper and M. R. Cooper, 1997) 24px|CR – Shelta Cave crayfish *''Cambarus smilax'' Loughman, Simon, and Welch, 2011 24px|NE – Greenbrier crayfish *''Cambarus speciosus'' Hobbs, 1981 24px|NT *''Cambarus speleocoopi'' Buhay & Crandall, 2009 <ref name="Buhay"/> 24px|EN - Sweet Home Alabama Crayfish *''Cambarus sphenoides'' Hobbs, 1968 24px|LC *''Cambarus spicatus'' Hobbs, 1956 24px|DD - Broad River spiny crayfish *''Cambarus stockeri'' Thoma, 2011<ref>{{ITIS|id=1133640|taxon=''Cambarus stockeri''|access-date=25 March 2022}}</ref> 24px|DD *''Cambarus striatus'' Hay, 1902 24px|LC – Hay Crayfish *''Cambarus strigosus'' Hobbs, 1981 24px|DD – lean crayfish *''Cambarus subterraneus'' Hobbs III, 1993 24px|CR – Delaware County cave crayfish *''Cambarus tartarus'' Hobbs & M. R. Cooper, 1972 24px|CR – Oklahoma cave crayfish *''Cambarus taylori'' Loughman, Henkanaththegedara, Fetzner and Thoma, 2017<ref>{{ITIS|id=1133642|taxon=''Cambarus taylori''|access-date=25 March 2022}}</ref> 24px|DD *''Cambarus tenebrosus'' Hay, 1902 24px|LC – cavespring crayfish *''Cambarus theepiensis'' Loughman, Foltz, Garrison and Welsh, 2013<ref>{{ITIS|id=1133644|taxon=''Cambarus theepiensis''|access-date=25 March 2022}}</ref> 24px|DD *''Cambarus truncatus'' Hobbs, 1981 24px|NT – Oconee burrowing crayfish *''Cambarus tuckasegee'' Cooper & Schofield, 2002 24px|NT *''Cambarus unestami'' Hobbs & Hall, 1969 24px|LC – Blackbarred crayfish *''Cambarus veitchorum'' J. E. Cooper & M. R. Cooper, 1997 24px|CR – White Spring cave crayfish *''Cambarus veteranus'' Faxon, 1914 24px|DD – Guyandotte River crayfish *''Cambarus williami'' R. W. Bouchard & J. W. Bouchard, 1995 24px|NT – Brawleys Fork crayfish *''Cambarus zophonastes'' Hobbs & Bedinger, 1964 24px|CR – Hell Creek cave crayfish {{div col end}}

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==Further reading== {{Commons category}} * {{cite web |title=Crayfish |access-date=May 10, 2021 |url=http://www.personal.psu.edu/hw7/naturetrail/speciespages/crayfish.htm |website=The Virtual Nature Trail at Penn State New Kensington |orig-year=2006 |publisher=The Pennsylvania State University |date=2013-10-08 |first=Alicia |last=Fitzgerald}}

Category:Cambaridae Category:Freshwater crustaceans of North America Category:Decapod genera Category:Taxa named by Wilhelm Ferdinand Erichson