Osage burrowing crayfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Osage burrowing crayfish |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Subphylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: |
Cambaridae
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| Genus: |
Procambarus
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| Subgenus: |
P. (Girardiella)
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| Species: |
P. liberorum
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| Binomial name | |
| Procambarus liberorum Fitzpatrick, 1978
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The Procambarus liberorum is a type of crayfish. It belongs to the Cambaridae family. This crayfish is special because it is found only in the United States. You can find it in the states of Arkansas and Oklahoma. People often call it the Osage burrowing crayfish.
Where This Crayfish Lives
The Osage burrowing crayfish lives in a few specific places. In Arkansas, you can find it in areas like the Boston Mountains and the Ouachita Mountains. It also lives in the Arkansas Valley. The farthest east it has been found in Arkansas is Lonoke County. In Oklahoma, this crayfish was first discovered in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, in 2006.
How We Learned About This Crayfish
Scientists first described Procambarus liberorum from three crayfish. These first ones were actually caught by a cat in Bentonville, Arkansas!
For a while, another crayfish called Procambarus ferrugineum was thought to be an endangered species. This means it was at high risk of disappearing forever. It was listed on the IUCN Red List, which is a list of species needing protection. However, scientists later found out that Procambarus ferrugineum was actually the same as P. liberorum. Since P. liberorum is found in many places and is not at risk, it is now listed as a least-concern species. This means it is not currently in danger.
