Increased sediment causes these freshwater environments to be uninhabitable, and Cambarus are forced to relocate as a result. Other species like Cambarus veteranus are at risk due to human practices like logging and mining, which increase sediment amounts in freshwater environments. Cave-dwellers like Cambarus jonesi are at risk due to their lack of genetic diversity and low population count. One of the largest crayfish genera, Cambarus includes a sizable number of vulnerable species. The genus is central to many freshwater food webs as they help maintain water quality through consumption of algae. In their first year, Cambarus typically consume 1-4% of their overall body-weight each day. Cambarus consume small rodents or birds when available. Diets are largely plant-based, though Cambarus also consume small marine organisms like molluscs, larvae, tadpoles and amphibian eggs. Like other crayfish, Cambarus are foragers. While salinity and temperature changes minimally affect Cambarus, the genus has shown an intolerance to pollution. Cambarus also include many cave-dwelling species, both stygobites and stygophiles. Burrowing species of the genus include Cambarus dubius. Habitat Ĭambarus occupy a range of freshwater environments including streams, rivers, lakes, and burrows. However, the genus extends as far westward as the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming and Colorado, inhabiting a variety of freshwater environments. They are distributed along the eastern coast, extending from New Brunswick to northern Florida. Most species of Cambarus are restricted to the United States and Canada. Other species are light green or grayish in color. Cambarus bartonii is dark brown, while species like Cambarus pauleyi range from subtle to vibrant blues and reds. Īs a genus containing nearly 100 species, Cambarus's coloration is variable. Cambarus reach 17–26 mm (0.67–1.02 in) carapace lengths in their first year, while average adult carapace length ranges from 55–62 mm (2.2–2.4 in). Unlike the genus Procambarus whose first pleopod tends to have three processes at the tip, Cambarus has only one or two. 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. The genus Cambarus is the second largest freshwater crayfish genus inhabiting the Northern Hemisphere, with only sixty fewer species than the genus Procambarus. The adults range in size from about 5 cm (2.0 in) up to approximately 15 cm (5.9 in). Cambarus is a large and diverse genus of crayfish from the United States and Canada.
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