Orconectes menae (Creaser)

Map [dots indicate Ouachita National Forest collection sites]

Recognition Characters: Rostrum wide with blunt lateral spines; branchiostegal spine absent; areola open; antennal scale widest at a point anterior to mid-length; first pleopod terminating in two elongate processes; central projection longer and bent slightly caudad at distal end.

Coloration: A small tan to brownish crayfish with slight vermiculations across the carapace.

Size: Adults are about 1 to 3 inches (25-76 mm) in total length.

Habitat: This species has been taken from under rocks in shallow, clear, flowing streams (Reimer, 1963). Williams (1954) reported it from burrows under rocks.

General Range: Orconectes menae is distributed throughout the tributaries of the Ouachita River in Polk and Montgomery counties, Arkansas, and in the Red River drainages of LeFlore and McCurtain counties, Oklahoma (Hobbs, 1989).

Comments: The type locality of this species is a stream tributary to the Irons Fork of the Ouachita River near Mena, Polk County, Arkansas (Hobbs, 1989; Robison and Allen, 1995). However, this species is also known from southern Oklahoma (Reimer, 1969; Hobbs, 1989). Orconectes menae was taken only twice during the survey, both times from the Arkansas portion of the ONF. Two specimens were collected from each of the two sites (total of four specimens) and thus it is considered rare.

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