New distribution record for the Indiana cave crayfish, Orconectes inermis inermis cope, from the Patoka River drainage
Published By US Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
Two specimens of the Indiana cave crayfish, Orconectes Orconectes inermis inermis Cope, were collected from a cave referred to as Audreys Cave on May 21, 2001 from the Patoka River drainage. This is the first record of the Indiana cave crayfish from the Patoka River drainage. The site locality is an unnamed tributary, Orange County, upstream of the County Road 475 E bridge, along a path into Hoosier National Forest, Stumpers Creek Township, latitude 38 29.38 longitude 86 21.79. The specimens were also collected with three specimens of the karst crayfish, Cambarus Erebicambarus tenebrosus Hay. Karst connections with the Lost River cave system may be the dispersal mechanism that enabled colonization into the Patoka River watershed.