Hubbs' crayfish is a powerfully built crayfish that is usually olive tan or reddish brown, without prominent spots or blotches. (In the upper White River drainage, Hubbs' crayfish are bright orange-red.) A narrow blackish band is present at the junction of the carapace and abdomen. The carapace is broad and dorsally flattened (as if pushed down on from above) and is separated at its middle by a space (areola).
Young individuals can occasionally be bright orange.
Hubbs' crayfish is distinguished from other stream crayfish within its range by the broad, dorsally flattened carapace, unusually powerful pincers, and nearly uniform color without spots or blotches.
Adult length: about 1¾ to 3½ inches.
This crayfish has a limited range in the Ozarks of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas. It occurs in streams on the southern slope of the Ozark Uplands, from Big Creek in Iron County west to the James River in Greene and Christian counties.
Habitat and Conservation
Hubbs' crayfish occurs in the pools and riffles of clear, permanent, high-gradient, rocky streams that range in size from small creeks to moderate-sized rivers. It lives in tunnels that it digs in gravel beneath large rocks. It is seldom seen in the open but probably emerges from its burrow at night to feed.
Life Cycle
This species apparently breeds in the fall and produces eggs in April or May, which is a little later than the Faxonius species of crayfish that occur in the same areas.
Human Connections
In addition to feeding many types of wildlife, crayfish provide food for many species that humans hunt and fish. Crayfish commonly serve as fish bait, and many people eat crayfish, too. Crayfish are fascinating, colorful creatures and are part of our rich native heritage.
When biologist Edwin P. Creaser first formally described this crayfish as a new species in 1931, he stated, "This species is named for my friend Dr. Carl L. Hubbs." Carl Leavitt Hubbs (1894-1979) worked at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, the University of Michigan, the Michigan Department of Conservation, and Scripps Institution in California. He was an ichthyologist (fish biologist), but as Creaser noted, several other ichthyologists have crayfishes named in their honor. Indeed, many fish specialists, including Missouri's William Pflieger, studied both fishes and crayfishes.
Ecosystem Connections
Crayfish are an important link in the food chain between plants and other animals, breaking down plant materials that are resistant to decay. Crayfish in turn are an important food for many other animals. Presence of crayfish in a stream or pond usually indicates good water quality.
