Invasion
Invasion Description
1st Record: Baltimore/MD/Curtis Creek (Meredith and Schwartz 1960; Schwartz et al. 1963; USNM 203786, United States National Museum of Natural History collections 2007)
1st Nontidal Record: Patapsco State Forest (Howard County)/MD/Patapsco River (1957, Meredith and Schwartz 1960; Schwartz et al. 1963; United States National Museum of Natural History collections 2007)
Geographic Extent
Tidal Records: Baltimore/MD/Curtis Creek (Meredith and Schwartz 1960; Schwartz et al. 1963; USNM 203786 United States National Museum of Natural History collections 2007); Joppatowne/MD/Gunpowder River (Killian et al. 2010); Edgewood/MD/Bush River (Killian et al. 2010); MD/upper tidal Patuxent River (Killian et al. 2010)
Nontidal Records: Patapsco State Forest (Howard County)/MD/Patapsco River (1957, Meredith and Schwartz 1960; Schwartz et al. 1963; United States National Museum of Natural History collections 2007); Ellicott City/MD/Patapsco River (Meredith and Schwartz 1960; Schwartz et al. 1963); Baltimore County/MD/Lake Roland (Patapsco drainage) (Meredith and Schwartz 1960; Schwartz et al. 1963); Prettyboy Dam (Harford County)/MD/Gunpowder River (Odell and Grimm 1966); Loudon County/VA/Broad Run (1977, Potomac drainage); Great Falls/VA/Potomac River (Hamilton 1979); Perryville/MD/Conowingo Reservoir, Susquehanna River (Killian et al. 2010)
Vectors
| Level | Vector |
|---|---|
| Probable | Discarded Bait |
Regional Impacts
| Ecological Impact | Competition | |
| The spread of Faxonius virilis was accompanied by the displacement of Faxonius limosus (Spinycheek Crayfish or Coastal Plains River Crayfish) and Cambarus bartonii (Appalachian Brook Crayfish) in the Patapsco and other rivers (Schwartz et al. 1963; Kilian et al. 2010). Its displacement of these species is believed to be due to wider environmental tolerances, larger size, and more agressive behavior (Bovbjerg 1970; Odell and Grimm 1966; Schwartz et al. 1963). Faxonius limosus is now probably imperiled in Maryland (Norden 1995 personal communication), and has been suggested as a federal endangered species, largely because of its displacement by F. virilis and F. rusticus (Rusty Crayfish) in much of its range (Jezerinac et al. 1995; Kilian et al. 2010). | ||