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  3. Orconectes pellucidus

Orconectes pellucidus

Diagnostic description 2

Albinistic with unfaceted eyes; rostrum lacking marginal spines or tubercles; with hepatic and cervical spines; ischia of male 3rd & 4th pleopod with hooks; male 1st pleopod terminating in 2 elements, mesial process markedly longer with distalmost part constricted to form subacute tip.

Distribution 3

Global Range: (1000-20,000 square km (about 400-8000 square miles)) It occurs in a narrow arc of karst extending in Kentucky from Trigg Co. east to Hart Co., dipping southward into Montgomery Co., Tennessee (Hobbs and Barr, 1972).

Habitat 4

Comments: Found in subterranean streams. Multilevel watercourses and regular flooding lead to isolation and dessication of individuals, with high mortality among those so stranded. See, especially, hydrologic and limnological data collected for the Mammoth- Flint Ridge Cave system) among the very few detailed data on cave systems).

Habitat and ecology 5

Habitat and Ecology

This species is a subterranean cave dwelling species from flowing subterranean streams (Jegla 1961).


Systems
  • Freshwater

Iucn red list assessment 6


Red List Category
LC
Least Concern

Red List Criteria

Version
3.1

Year Assessed
2010

Assessor/s
Adams, S., Schuster, G.A. & Taylor, C.A.

Reviewer/s
Collen, B. & Richman, N.

Contributor/s
Livingston, F., Livingston, F., Soulsby, A.-M., Batchelor, A., Dyer, E., Whitton, F., Milligan, H.T., Smith, J., Lutz, M.L., De Silva, R., McGuinness, S., Kasthala, G., Jopling, B., Sullivan, K. & Cryer, G.

Justification
Orconectes pellucidus has been assessed as Least Concern (LC). This species has a disjunct distribution and is relatively widespread for a cave species. Whilst subject to the threats that most cave species are, Orconectes pellucidus appears to be relatively well protected and a portion of its range is in Mammoth Cave National Park.

Nature serve conservation status 7

Rounded Global Status Rank: G4 - Apparently Secure

Reasons: This species has a disjunct distribution and is relatively widespread for a cave species. Whilst subject to the threats that most cave species are, it appears to be relatively well protected and a portion of its range is in Mammoth Cave National Park.
Intrinsic Vulnerability: Moderately vulnerable

Comments: Sensitive to water quality changes as well as lowering of water table.

Environmental Specificity: Unknown

Other Considerations: KY regards it as a special concern at Mammoth Cave.

Range description 8

This species inhabits an area extending southwestward from HartCounty to Trigg County, Kentucky, and Montgomery County, Tennessee, USA (Hobbs and Barr 1972).The Extent of Occurrence (EOO) of this species has been estimated to exceed23,000 km2.

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) rkkessler, all rights reserved
  2. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28859146
  3. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28859141
  4. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28859150
  5. (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/34615465
  6. (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/34615462
  7. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28859134
  8. (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/34615463

More Info

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(c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)

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