Lee County cave isopod facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lee County cave isopod |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Subphylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: |
Asellidae
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| Genus: |
Lirceus
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| Species: |
L. usdagalun
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| Binomial name | |
| Lirceus usdagalun Holsinger and Bowman, 1973
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The Lee County cave isopod (Lirceus usdagalun) is a very rare type of small crustacean. It lives only in certain karst cave systems in Lee County, Virginia in the United States. This special creature is considered an endangered species because its home is threatened.
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About the Lee County Cave Isopod
What is an Isopod?
The Lee County cave isopod is a type of isopod. Isopods are a group of small creatures that belong to the Arthropod family, which also includes insects and spiders. They are often called "roly-polies" or "woodlice" if you see them on land. However, the Lee County cave isopod lives only in water.
Physical Appearance
This isopod is about 7 millimeters long, which is less than half an inch. It is a troglobite, meaning it spends its whole life inside caves. Because it lives in constant darkness, it does not have eyes. It also lacks any color, so it looks pale or whitish. Its body is flat, and it has seven pairs of legs.
What's in a Name?
The scientific name for this species is Lirceus usdagalun. The second part of its name, usdagalun, comes from the Cherokee language. It means "cave" or "hole under rock." This name perfectly describes where this unique creature lives.
Where the Isopod Lives
The Lee County cave isopod is found only in a special cave area called The Cedars. This area is located in the Powell River Valley in the southwestern part of Virginia. It is known to live in just four different cave systems within this region.
Its Special Home
This isopod lives underwater in the caves. It can be found on rocks and gravel at the bottom of the cave streams. The water quality in these caves is very important for the isopod's survival. It is very sensitive to any changes in the water.
Life in the Cave
The Lee County cave isopod shares its underground home with many other interesting cave creatures. These include other types of isopods, like Caecidotea recurvata, and small shrimp-like animals called amphipods, such as Crangonyx antennatus. Snails from the genus Fontigens and flatworms called planarians from the genus Sphalloplana also live alongside it. The Cedars area is a hotspot for rare species, with at least 33 different rare animals and plants found there.
Why it's Endangered
The Lee County cave isopod is a federally listed endangered species in the United States. This means it is at high risk of disappearing forever.
Threats to its Survival
One of the biggest threats to this isopod is pollution. When it was first listed as endangered, one of its populations was thought to have disappeared due to pollution from a nearby sawmill. Sawdust from the mill had gotten into the cave system. Luckily, after the pollution stopped, this population was able to come back. However, any changes to the water quality in its cave home can still be very dangerous for these sensitive creatures. Protecting the caves and their water is key to helping the Lee County cave isopod survive.
