Shelter use of the Red-Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) in dry-season stream pools

Abstract

Abstract:Patterns of shelter use of the red-swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, were studied in a temporary stream of the south of the Iberian Peninsula during the summer of 1999. By shelters, we mean both excavated burrows and natural refuges, such as crevices under rocks, boulders, and stones. Both crayfish shelter use and faithfulness, and the relationship between the use of shelters and some abiotic parameters of the habitat were analysed. Five main issues were raised. (1) Crayfish did not hide exclusively inside excavated burrows, but regularly used natural refuges. The low burrowing activity recorded might be related to the large particles of the sediment and to the scarce presence of free water. (2) Burrows were mostly found either empty or occupied by a single individual, while refuges had a higher rate of occupancy. Shelters were often used by both females and smaller individuals. (3) A role played by burrows and refuges was to help crayfish to withstand high environmental temperatures; in fact, the number of specimens inhabiting the same shelter increased with the air temperature. Shelters also provided protection against predation and cannibalism. Burrows seemed more efficient shelters, since crayfish more often moved from a refuge to a burrow than vice versa. (4) Crayfish were found outside the shelters mainly at night and dawn, while they were mostly hidden in burrows during the day. (5) Procambarus clarkii seemed not to be faithful to a unique shelter; thus this species seems to have "ephemeral home ranges" with a shelter as the core. Although refined orienting capabilities have been reported in several decapods, in this case, crayfish did not exhibit a "homing behaviour", which may be related to the fact that burrows were used mostly for protection purposes.

Shelter Occupancy by Mixed-Species Pairs of Native Signal Crayfish and Non-Native Red Swamp Crayfish Held in Enclosures

“…Procambarus clarkii typically reaches sexual maturity at -40 mm CL and mates during summer, a period when reproductive adults, especially females, often seek shelter in burrows (Gherardi et al 1999, Ilheu et al 2003, Penn 1943. In Pine Lake, the reproductive cycle of P. clarkii is similar to the pattern reported for many populations of the species (Mueller 2007a).…”

Spatial autocorrelation and the analysis of invasion processes from distribution data: a study with the crayfish Procambarus clarkii

“…Nevertheless, our analyses showed that, at the early stages of the invasion, wetland features can be extremely important for crayfish distribution: P. clarkii was strongly associated to large and permanent wetlands. Wetland hydroperiod is known to be a limiting factor for the presence of this species: P. clarkii can also be found in temporary wetlands, but in such habitats it needs shelter, like boulders, wood debris, crevices or a silt substrate to make burrows and retain the humidity, allowing their survival (Correia and Ferreira 1995;Ilhéu et al 2003;Cruz and Rebelo 2007). Furthermore, wetlands should have a hydroperiod longer than 4 months for the persistence of P. clarkii (Gutiérrez Yurrita and Montes 1999).…”

Microhabitat use by the white‐clawed crayfish in a Tuscan stream

“…However, our study focused for the first time on the relationship between used and available microhabitats and it supported the hypothesis that crayfish occupancy of a given substrate is independent of its availability (crayfish avoid microhabitats without boulders) but is related to crayfish size (larger crayfish are associated with larger substrates). Indeed, an appropriate substrate may provide shelters to protect crayfish from predation (Ilhéu et al 2003) and to prevent their drift (M. Ilhéu, unpublished data).…”