Orconectes maletae facts for kids
The Kisatchie painted crayfish (scientific name: Faxonius maletae) is a type of freshwater crawdad. It gets its common name from the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana, where it was first found. Its scientific name, maletae, honors Maleta M. Walls, the wife of the person who discovered it. She helped collect many of the first specimens. This crayfish was first thought to be a subspecies of another crayfish, but scientists later decided it was its own unique species.
Quick facts for kids Orconectes maletae |
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Faxonius
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maletae
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Contents
What Does It Look Like?
Kisatchie painted crawfish are usually brown or olive green. They have cool markings in red, blue, and white or yellow. The red color is mostly on the middle parts of their legs. You can also see red on the ridges behind their eyes and a little on the back edges of their tail fins.
Their long, strong claws have different colors from the tip to the base. The tips are red, then yellow or cream, then blue, and finally greenish-brown or brown.
The main body section of the crayfish, called the cephalothorax, is about 40 millimeters (1.6 inches) long. It can grow up to 4.4 centimeters (1.7 inches). The pointed part at the front of its head, called the rostrum or beak, has small spines on its sides. It also has an hourglass-shaped line on its back.
This crayfish looks a lot like another species called Faxonius difficilis. However, the Kisatchie painted crayfish has a longer, more curved central part on its first swimming leg. It also has a smoother, more curved process. It can be told apart from F. palmeri by its shorter swimming legs.
Life Cycle and Behavior
Male Kisatchie painted crawfish that are ready to breed are often found when water levels are low. This usually happens between June and October, with the most activity in September and October.
When they reproduce, the male puts sperm into a special spot under the female's belly. She then fertilizes her eggs as she lays them. Both the eggs and the newly hatched babies stay with the mother. She holds them under her body with her swimming legs until they are big enough to swim and crawl on their own. Young crayfish are most commonly seen in June and July.
Where Does It Live and What Does It Eat?
The Kisatchie painted crayfish likes clear, flowing streams. It prefers places with sandy bottoms and lots of plant litter and rocks. Sometimes, it can also be found in areas with reed plants.
This crayfish is an omnivore. It eats both dead animals (called carrion) and plants.
Where Can You Find It?
The Kisatchie painted crayfish lives in a very specific and spread-out area. It has been found in several parishes in Louisiana. These include Rapides, Natchitoches, and Sabine Parishes. It also lives in many counties in Texas, such as Upshur, Titus, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, and Marion Counties. You can also find it in Pittsburg and Latimer Counties in Oklahoma, and Washington County in Arkansas.
By river systems, it lives in Bayou Teche, Kisatchie Bayou, and streams that flow into the Red River of the South. It is also found in Cypress Creek in Texas.
Threats to This Crayfish
Kisatchie painted crayfish are sensitive to changes in their water. They are especially harmed by more dirt and mud in the water. This often comes from runoff from farms and from logging (cutting down trees). When trees are cut down, there is less shade over the water, which also hurts the crayfish.
Losing their habitat is a big problem, especially in Louisiana. In some places, these crayfish have completely disappeared. Because their living areas are spread out and shrinking, the number of Kisatchie painted crayfish is going down.
In 1996, a group called the IUCN Red List listed this species as vulnerable. This means it was at risk of becoming endangered. However, as of 2010, they listed it as "data deficient." This means there isn't enough information to know its exact risk level. Another group, NatureServe, rated it as "G2" (imperiled) in 2009, meaning it is in serious danger. The American Fisheries Society called it "Threatened" in 2007.
