Classification: Nongame Fish - Crustacean
National Range: Tennessee River drainage from southwestern Virginia and western North Carolina, downstream through eastern and south central Tennessee, northwestern Georgia, and northern Alabama (Hobbs 1981).
NC Physiographic Region(s): Blue Ridge Mountains/Valley and Ridge boundary zone
River Basin(s): French Broad
Distribution: Madison County
Species associates: O. (C.) erichsonianus
Identification references: Hobbs 1981
Taxonomic Description:
Crayfish Regulations (PDF)
The following illustration is reproduced from:
Hobbs, H.H., Jr. 1981. The crayfishes of Georgia. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 318:1-549.
Figure 112. -- Orconectes forceps (c, f, from second form male; k, l, from female from South Chickamauga Creek at Rte S819 in Graysville, Catoosa Co; all others from first form male from Little Chickamauga Chreek at Ringgold, Catoosa Co): a, lateral view of carapace; b, c, mesial view of first pleopod; d, dorsal view of carapace; e, dorsal view of distal podomeres of cheliped; f, g, lateral view of first pleopod; h, antennal scale; i, caudal view of first pleopods; j, proximal podomeres of third, fourth, and fifth pereiopods; k, annulus ventralis; l, epistome.
Credit: TWRA-Carl Williams