3.4 Crayfshes
priority because it has a small range that is increasingly threatened by development, the potential threat of nonnative Virile Crayfsh in the lower Linville River, and population trends that are not well known. Other needs include monitoring to detect the spread of nonnative species and the status of native sympatric species. Species that have a small native range and are threatened by present or foreseeable habitat disturbance and those that may be declining should be monitored to detect population trends. Investigations on the factors associated with global climate change and deposition of atmospheric pollutants that may afect rare and endemic species found at high elevations, and land-use changes occurring in rapidly developing areas are needed. Research on the habitat requirements and the tolerance of individual species to physical and chemical changes to their habitats is another priority (Simmons and Fraley 2010) . For instance, the Broad River Stream Crayfsh appears to be vulnerable to excess sediment and is a priority for monitoring eforts (Simmons and Fraley 2010) . In addition to the SGCN priorities listed in Table 3.10, Table 3.12 lists the species for which the Crayfsh Taxa Team determined there are research priorities because of knowledge gaps. 3.4.5 Management Needs Five crayfsh species considered nonnative and/or invasive have been identifed in North Carolina and pose signifcant threat to native crayfsh species: Coosa River Spiny, Kentucky River, Rusty, and Virile crayfshes, and the Red Swamp Crawfsh. Except for the Coosa River Spiny Crayfsh, each was ranked as a management priority by the Crayfsh Taxa Team. One native species, the White River Crawfsh, is considered a management priority. It is native to the Piedmont and Coastal Plain but has been introduced to several basins in the Mountain region (likely through bait bucket dumps). Its efect on native crayfsh
T ABLE 3.12 Crayfsh knowledge-gap priority species
Federal/ State Status*
Family
Scientifc Name Cambarus davidi
Common Name
Cambaridae
Carolina Ladle Crayfsh Chattahoochee Crayfsh Sandhills Spiny Crayfsh Carolina Foothills Crayfsh Carolina Sandhills Crayfsh
— — — — — —
Cambarus howardi Cambarus hystricosus
Cambarus johni
Procambarus pearsei
Procambarus plumimanus
Croatan Crayfsh
* See Table 3.2 for abbreviations.
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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