Report of the first distributional study of Branchiobdellida (Annelida: Clitellata) or crayfish worms in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Gelder SR and Williams B. 2010. Report of the first distributional study of Branchiobdellida (Annelida: Clitellata) or crayfish worms in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. National Park Service
Branchiobdellidans, or crayfish worms, are species-rich in the Appalachian area of the southeastern United States. However, only one species record exists for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). As part of the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory initiative, we undertook the first general survey of the branchiobdellidan taxa in the GSMNP. Six species of crayfish were collected from a total of 15 sites distributed across 13 major watersheds in the park. We identified a total of 10 species of crayfish worms: one Bdellodrilus, one Oedipodrilus, two Pterodrilus, one Xironodrilus, and five species of Cambarincola. The composition and number of species per site varied, and individual crayfish worm species occurrence ranged from one to eleven sites. Although there was no consistent pattern of species distribution or host preference, our results suggest that multiple factors affect crayfish worm species composition. A detailed survey of all the watersheds and their crayfish fauna in the GSMNP is necessary to explain the variations we found in our observations of the crayfish-worm associations. The study will assist in developing management plans needed to preserve the endemic fauna of the park from invasive crayfish species known to be in adjacent areas.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Gelder, Stuart; Williams, Bronwyn W
- Date of Issue
- 2010
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, Appalachian, ATBI, Bdellodrilus, Branchiobdellidan, Cambarincola, Crayfish Worm, GRSM-01002, Oedipodrilus, Pterodrilus, Species Composition, Species Distribution, Xironodrilus