A Rarely Seen Crustacean
The elusive crayfish Cambarus monongalensis is found throughout western Pennsylvania and West Virginia but is rarely seen. It is a burrowing crayfish that inhabits hillsides, hilltops, springs and seeps. The chimney of its burrow is tall, catching rainfall and creating an underground pool environment for the crayfish. It is also a vegetarian, harvesting live plants in the summer and collecting leaves in the autumn. Interestingly, this crayfish actually could be said to rear its young, as the young remain with the mother in the burrow from February to September. This crayfish is considered a species of concern in West Virginia, but its status in Pennsylvania is “undetermined.” Its coloration is considered a partial albinoism, since it is missing all color but blue. The red claws are also distinctive.
Professor of biology James March of Washington and Jefferson University took this photograph of Cambarus monongalensis during an outing in Washington County PA. For more information on this species, check out http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/8842/monon1.html.
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