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Opposed to most crayfish species that inhabit permanent bodies of water like streams or lakes, a unique semi-terrestrial burrowing lifestyle has evolved several times throughout the crayfish phylogeny. Due to their reclusive, underground lifestyle and ability to engineer elaborate burrows that may reach 3 m in depth, our understanding of the behavior of these species remains limited. The majority of what we know about how burrowing crayfish species interact with one another and with their environment comes from sporadic, anecdotal reports peppered throughout the scientific literature. By combining laboratory and field experiments, we hope to shed like on the mysterious lives of the burrowing crayfishes.
Relevant Publications: - On the surface or down below: Field observations reveal a high degree of surface activity in a burrowing crayfish, the Little Brown Mudbug (Lacunicambarus thomai) [pdf] - Death from below: Sit-and-wait predatory behavior in a burrowing crayfish (Lacunicambarus thomai) [pdf] |
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Department of Biological Sciences
West Liberty University 208 University Drive West Liberty, WV, 26074 |
