Abstract
ABSTRACT The crayfish Orconectes eupunctus is endemic to the Spring and Eleven Point rivers of Arkansas and Missouri, and appears to have been displaced from a portion of its range by the recently introduced crayfish O. neglectus. Life history can be a factor in crayfish species displacements as earlier reproduction or rapid juvenile growth may provide size advantages in competitive interactions, while higher fecundity might permit an invading species to out reproduce a native. We conducted a comparative study to determine if life history differences exist between O. neglectus and O. eupunctus that could contribute to the displacement of O. eupunctus. Crayfish were collected at three sites (each species alone and both species together) monthly from Jul. 2005 through Dec. 2006 by kick-seining. Timing of reproductive events was recorded, fecundity was evaluated through egg counts, and juvenile growth rates were examined using length-frequency histograms. Sex ratios, length-weight relationships, and adult si...
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