Resource Use by the Slenderwrist Burrowing Crayfish, Fallicambarus petilicarpus

Abstract

Understanding species’ habitat and resource requirements is critical for effective conservation. To assess whether a species is imperiled, data are needed on its range and natural history. In this study, we examined the resource use, including diet and habitat associations, of the Slenderwrist Burrowing Crayfish, Fallicambarus petilicarpus, a narrowly endemic primary burrowing crayfish in southcentral Arkansas. We found that F. petilicarpus has an omnivorous diet, feeding on aquatic invertebrates and detritus. We compared habitat characteristics of sites in the Ouachita drainage that contained F. petilicarpus and sites with other primary burrowing crayfish. Fallicambarus petilicarpus inhabits roadside ditches with low elevation and reduced canopy cover, like other primary burrowing species in the region. Comparisons among burrowing crayfish suggest there may be overlap in environmental niches of species in this region and subsequent competition. Field sampling expanded the known range of F. petilicarpus from ~174 km2 to ~1150 km2. Fallicambarus petilicarpus remains a narrowly endemic species with potential to be threatened by habitat loss and food scarcity caused by urban expansion and climate change.