A Threat to Native Crayfish in North and South Carolina
Dr. Bronwyn Williams, Research Curator, Non-Molluscan Invertebrates, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Dr. Michael Kendrick, Assistant Marine Scientist, Crustacean Research and Monitoring Section, SCDNR Marine Resources Research Institute
The southeastern United States is a global hotspot for crayfish diversity. Among the most diverse groups of crayfishes in this region is the genus Procambarus, with 16 and seven species native to South Carolina and North Carolina, respectively. Yet, Procambarus species in the Carolinas are also among the most data deficient, and therefore enigmatic, in part due to a complex taxonomic history. Ironically, these species are facing a serious conservation threat from a non-native counterpart, the Red Swamp Crayfish, Procambarus clarkii. Our collaboration couples extensive field surveys with genetic and morphological analyses to understand the diversity of native crayfishes, the recent spread of the invasive crayfish, and the impacts of the invader on native species.
Join us on YouTube!
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by NC Museum of Natural Sciences’ SECU Daily Planet Curator Chris Smith and the NC Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff.
You can post questions in the YouTube chat or tweet questions to #LunchTimeDiscovery and mention @NorthCarolinaEE.
Brought to you by the NC DEQ Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs and the NC Museum of Natural Sciences.