the key largo woodrat ( neotoma floridana smalli ) , a subspecies of the florida woodrat ( neotoma floridana ) , is a medium-sized rat found in the northern area of key largo , florida , in the united states .

it is currently on the united states fish and wildlife service list of endangered species .

the rat grows to 260 grams and feeds on fruit , leaves and buds .

it has a gray-brown back and white belly , chest , and throat , and a hairy tail .

only 6500 animals were thought to remain in north key largo in the late 1980s . .

key largo woodrat

the key largo woodrat can only be found in tropical hammocks in key largo , florida .
emergency determination of end . status for key largo woodrat & key largo cotton mouse ; emergency rule ; 48 fr 43040 - 43043
hersh sl ( 1981 ) ecology of the key largo woodrat . j mammal 62 : 201–206
the key largo woodrat is almost extinct . sca member chris burgess is trying to change that .
habitat use of the key largo woodrat ( neotoma floridana smalli )
by lauren j . barth
( lower matecumbe through plantation keys are incorporated as islamorada , village of islands . the
towns
of key largo , north key largo and tavernier , all on the island of key largo , are not incorporated . )
the key largo woodrat is a federally endangered species that is endemic to key largo , florida . this island population is separated by approximately 130 miles from the nearest population of woodrats on the mainland of florida . historically , the key largo woodrat occupied all of key largo , but today is restricted to approximately 2 , 000 acres in the northern one - third of the island .
the key largo woodrat is the southernmost sub - species of woodrat in the united states and is geographically separated from other florida woodrat populations by over 150 mi ( 240 km ) . it is endemic to the hardwood hammocks of key largo in monroe county , florida .
the eastern woodrat has been listed as endangered by the u . s . fish and wildlife service , under the name ‘key largo woodrat’ ( 5 ) .
conservation efforts perhaps the most important effort to conserve the key largo woodrat was a cooperative land acquisition on north key largo . today , most remaining habitat is public land comprised of crocodile lake national wildlife refuge and dagny johnson key largo hammock botanical state park . agency personnel and university researchers closely monitor the remaining key largo woodrats through live - trapping and nest surveys .
sherman hb ( 1955 ) description of a new race of woodrat from key largo , florida . j mammal 36 : 113–120
according to an agency report , “evidence clearly suggests that [ manmade nests ] have significantly bolstered the key largo woodrat population” and dixon notes “chris has been great . a remote camera placed at one of the new [ cavity ] nests has already photographed a key largo woodrat and a key largo cotton mouse . ” the latter species is also endangered .
hersh , s . l . 1981 .
ecology of the key largo woodrat .
journal of mammalogy 62 : 201 - 206 .
“i want a career in the conservation field . this experience has really helped me . ” and the key largo woodrat , as well .
the eastern woodrat is a large species of woodrat , found all over south - eastern usa .
key largo woodrat .
beacham ' s guide to the endangered species of north america . . retrieved july 09 , 2018 from urltoken urltoken
usfws ( 1999 ) multi - species recovery plan for south florida : the key largo woodrat . united states fisheries and wildlife service . pp 195–216
the key largo woodrat ( neotoma floridana smalli ) is a subspecies of the florida woodrat existing only on the island of key largo , florida . it is one of the most endangered rodents on earth , but the good news is that it is making a comeback with the help of dedicated conservationists .
winchester c , castleberry sb , mengak mt ( 2009 ) evaluation of factors restricting distribution of the endangered key largo woodrat . j wildlife manage 73 : 374–379
the woodrat became endangered due to a combination of habitat loss and predation by feral cats . development on key largo since the 1920’s ( and especially since the 1980’s ) led to a reduction in the woodrat’s natural habitat , the tropical hardwood hammocks of key largo . the current habitat is half what the original was .
key largo woodrat .
beacham ' s guide to the endangered species of north america . . encyclopedia . com . ( july 9 , 2018 ) . urltoken
chris burgess uses a power hose to create space for endangered key largo woodrats to nest . credit : florida keynoter
finally , it was time to reintroduce the key largo woodrats to key largo . they were fitted with tiny radio telemetry collars , fortified with native foods , and allowed to acclimate in a caged artificial nest for a week .
the key largo woodrat is protected as an endangered species by the federal endangered species act and as a federally - designated endangered species by florida’s endangered and threatened species rule .
hersh , s . l . 1981 . ecology of the key largo woodrat ( neotoma floridana smalli ) . journal of mammalogy 62 ( 1 ) : 201 - 206 .
once common throughout key largo , the woodrat is now found only in a handful of public preserves comprising a few thousand acres of forest . the woodrat’s woes likely started in the 1800s , when key largo farmers razed hardwood hammocks to plant pineapple crops , and worsened in the 20th century when large - scale construction projects transformed this former coral reef .
barth , lauren j . ,
habitat use of the key largo woodrat ( neotoma floridana smalli )
( 2014 ) . fiu electronic theses and dissertations . 1644 . urltoken
“the key largo woodrat was one of the world’s first composters , ” says dixon , “and this refuge needs all the soil it can get , given its agricultural past . ”
“how do you train a key largo woodrat to be afraid of a cat ? ” disney biologist anne savage asks me . the woodrat’s natural predators are raptors and snakes : murderous felines are “not something they are supposed to be encountering . ”
mccleery , r . , r . lopez , n . silvy , p . frank , s . klett . 2006 . population status and habitat selection of the endangered key largo woodrat .
the international union for the conservation of nature , however , lists the key largo woodrat as a species of
least concern ,
citing a wide us distribution across the southeast and midwest .
mccleery , r . a . ; lopez , r . r . & silvy , n . j . ( 2006 ) .
movements and habitat use of the key largo woodrat
.
the dagny johnson key largo hammock botanical state park is a florida state park , located in the center of key largo in the florida keys , on county road 905 , one - quarter mile north of its intersection with the overseas highway ( us 1 ) .
because of encroaching residential and commercial development , tropical hardwood hammocks comprise one of the most limited and threatened ecosystems in florida . the hammocks on north key largo represent one of the largest remaining tracts of its vegetation type . in the last two decades , development of the southern two - thirds of key largo eliminated woodrat habitat there .
u . s . fish & wildlife service . ( 2006 , june 8 ) . key largo woodrat . retrieved july 29 , 2011 , from multi - species recovery plan for south florida : urltoken .
crocodile lake refuge and favor volunteers ( left to right ) emily magnaghi , susie shimamoto , and bunny bradov host an education and outreach booth at an event in key largo , home to the federally listed endangered key largo woodrat ; children were able to “earn their ears” by crawling though a man - made nest . photo by jeremy dixon .
habitat loss and fragmentation are the main threats to the key largo woodrat . development in tropical hammocks in key largo has caused the thinning and destruction of vegetation in the hammocks . habitat fragmentation threatens the species by limiting gene flow and increasing risk from other threats . the limited range makes the key largo woodrat vulnerable to storms and fires . sea level rise also threatens the species as their habitat would be inundated with ocean water . other threats include increased predation by feral cats and competition from black rats ( u . s . fish & wildlife service 1999 ) .
the keys are also home to unique animal species , including the american crocodile , key deer , protected by the national key deer refuge , and the key largo woodrat . the keys is the northernmost range of the american crocodile , which is endemic from south america to panama , north to the florida keys . the key largo woodrat is found only in the northern part of its namesake island , and is a focus of management activities in crocodile lake national wildlife refuge . about 70 miles ( 110 km ) west of key west is dry tortugas national park , one of the most isolated and therefore well - preserved in the world .
still , the future may not be bright for the key largo woodrat in florida . researchers found that captive woodrats released in the wild were much more likely to be eaten by predators than their wild - born counterparts .
tropical hardwood hammocks provide critical habitat for the key largo woodrat ( neotoma floridana smalli ) and the key largo cotton mouse ( peromyscus gossypinus allapaticola ) . both species originally ranged throughout key largo , however as a result of habitat destruction they are currently limited to the northern third of the island and listed as endangered species . the endangered schaus swallowtail butterfly ( papilio aristodemus ponceanus ) is also dependent upon hardwood hammocks . this species is on the decline due to habitat destruction as well as insecticide use and extreme weather conditions .
species associated with the key largo woodrat include the schaus swallowtail butterfly ( papilio aristodemus ponceanus ) , tamarindillo ( acacia choriophylla ) , powdery catopsis ( catopsis berteroniana ) , and prickly apple ( cereus gracilis var . simpsonii ) .
the key largo woodrat , neotoma floridana smalli , is a medium - sized rodent just over 1 ft ( 30 cm ) long , including the haired tail . it is somewhat smaller than its near relative the eastern woodrat , neotoma floridana . its overall coloration is gray - brown above and white below .
it might be hard to imagine conservationists rallying around rats , often considered disease - spreading invaders that have no problem keeping their population numbers high . but the key largo woodrat , a nest - building nocturnal rodent , is in danger of going extinct in its native habitat in key largo , the largest of the florida keys . [ in photos : a stunning view of rat island ]
the city of key west is the county seat of monroe county . the county consists of a section on the mainland which is almost entirely in everglades national park , and the keys islands from key largo to the dry tortugas .
( key largo woodrats ) is listed as endangered by the united states fish and wildlife service . according to mccleery et al . ( 2006 ) , the decline in the population is due to habitat fragmentation and degradation , parasites , and predation by feral cats . key largo woodrats are isolated on the island of key largo , florida . almost half of the species ' original home range has been lost since the early 1970s . there are approximately 850 ha of suitable land left on the island , most of which is found within two protected areas : dagny johnson key largo hammock botanical state park and crocodile lake national wildlife refuge .
( knights , vaca , boot , long point , crawl , and grassy keys , as well as most of fat deer key , are incorporated in the city of marathon . [ 20 ] the remaining portion of fat deer key and most of shelter key are part of key colony beach . )
dixon , the refuge’s manager and lone paid employee , and degayner , a dedicated snowbird volunteer for the past 12 years , have been working to prevent the extinction of the key largo woodrat , a species found nowhere else on the planet .
florida natural areas inventory iucn red list u . s . fish & wildlife service key largo woodrat profile u . s . fish & wildlife service species conservation guidelines u . s . fish & wildlife service - south florida multi - species recovery plan
the key largo woodrat has a gray - brown back , a white belly , and measures 14 inches from nose to tail . “they’re kind of cute , ” states sca intern and americorps member chris burgess . “they have big mickey mouse ears . ”
barbour , d . b . , and s . r . humphrey . 1982 .
status and habitat of the key largo woodrat and cotton mouse ( neotoma floridana smalli and peromyscus gossypinus allapaticola ) .
journal of mammalogy 63 : 144 - 148 .
peaceful key largo is wracked by heated meetings and angry letters to the editor . “we have been followed , intimidated and even threatened , ” one refuge volunteer has said .
we radio - collared and tracked 16 ( 10 female , 6 male ) neotoma floridana smalli ( key largo woodrats ) from march–november 2002 and recorded a total of 631 locations .
the key largo woodrat is a midsized rodent that can reach a length of 12 - 16 inches ( 31 - 41 centimeters ) . this species of woodrat has a brown and black back with a reddish - brown tint on its sides , and a short tail that is brown on top and white on the bottom ( florida natural areas inventory 2001 ) .
habitat loss due to development and deforestation , and predation , particularly from feral house cats are the main factors limiting distribution of the key largo woodrat on the island . despite protection of its remaining habitat , the key largo woodrat has continued to decline since its listing in 1984 . the magnitude of this decline is not clear ; a report from 1973 suggested that only 800 individuals may remain , and although the population was estimated at approximately 6 , 500 individuals in 1988 , all subsequent estimates have suggested that < 500 individuals remain in the wild .
so far the key largo conservationists’ hidden cameras , rigged up around the refuge , have captured nighttime stills of iridescent - eyed cats pawing at the endangered woodrat’s nests , and a blurry photograph of what they think is a neighborhood pet carrying a dead woodrat in its mouth . but they don’t have frames of a cat killing a woodrat outright . such an image would be not just a form of witness but a potential legal weapon . the refuge workers hope that the owner of a woodrat - wolfing cat could be prosecuted under the endangered species act .
i arrive at the crocodile lake national wildlife refuge in the pulverizing rain , after buying the last umbrella at the first gas station in key largo . it’s not a great day to comb the florida woods for a highly endangered subspecies of rodent , but the three guys in the refuge trailer don’t acknowledge the downpour . this trio of determined optimists—the refuge director , an octogenarian volunteer and an ecology researcher—may be all that stands between the key largo woodrat and oblivion .
even if a concerted captive - breeding effort is made , it will not be enough to initiate a species rebound for the key largo woodrat in florida . according to university of florida researchers , the dramatic loss of woodrats in the state cannot be recouped by a captive breeding program .
the meeting was held to try to educate people about the importance to the ecosystem of the woodrat , as well as the endangered key largo cotton mouse . they eat and distribute berries , leaves , nuts and seeds , as well as serving as food for native birds and snakes .
egoscue hj ( 1957 ) the desert woodrat : a laboratory colony . j mammal 38 : 472–481
like other woodrat species , the key largo woodrat uses sticks , twigs , and other objects to build large stick nests in the hammock . these nests can reach 4 feet in height and 8 feet in diameter . nests are typically occupied by a single woodrat , but individuals may maintain multiple nests throughout their home range . in addition to building natural nests on the forest floor , they also occupy cracks and crevices in the limestone and occasionally non - natural structures such as rock piles .
the key largo woodrat , they note , would likely be struggling even in a cat - free universe . they also cite practical concerns . campaigns to evict or eradicate cats have frequently failed even on uninhabited islands , and key largo is the heart of a densely populated resort community . some cat lovers simply deny that these adorable apex predators have any role in the woodrats’ predicament , and wonder whether the wildlife workers are “using cat food and catnip to lure pets” and frame innocent felines .
north key largo has been a part of many dreams . in 1929 , it was to be the southern terminus of a causeway linking the islands to the north to miami beach . the principal island is elliott key , however , there are others such as old rhodes key , sands key , boca chita , ragged keys and soldier key . ( henry flagler developed soldier key as an adjunct to the royal palm hotel on the miami river . all of these linking islands were called
islandia
under a dade county charter . islandia actually was not a part of key largo , but and it was a significant
but .
if islandia passed state ' s muster , its southern route would pass directly through ocean reef - from the very top to the very bottom . it did not happen , but below is short piece re islandia .
the key largo woodrat is listed as least concern
because it is very widespread , although generally not common , it occurs in many protected areas and its population is not declining fast enough to qualify in a more threatened category ,
the iucn reports on its red list of threatened species .
we evaluated the effectiveness of supplemental stockings being proposed in the recovery of the federally endangered key largo woodrat ( klwr , neotoma floridana smalli ) using a stage - based , stochastic model . supplemental stockings were evaluated with a population model using current trapping and telemetry data along with published and unpublished klwr data .
the above aerial photos depicts the concentrated and rapid growth of the ocean reef club area of north key largo half a century . ocean reef also operates an excellent museum of its role in the keys .
the key largo woodrat is restricted to undisturbed tropical hardwood ( hammock ) forests , which represent a climax vegetation type . the closed forest canopy provides a more moderate , humid environment than adjacent grasslands and marshes and supports a rich biota , including many rare plant and animal species . hardwood hammocks were originally found from key west north into southern peninsular florida . habitat elevation is about 13 ft ( 4 m ) .
mccleery told livescience in an email that he didn ' t have data on the exact causes of death for woodrats in the wild , so he couldn ' t comment on the impact of cats specifically . but the website takepart pointed out that wildlife managers on key largo have been battling a major cat problem . in 2010 , the fish and wildlife service issued a warning that explosive numbers of free - roaming cats could bring about the extinction of the key largo woodrat and other small mammal species like the lower keys marsh rabbit .
the successful introduction of the woodrat to lignumvitae key indicates that this species might be able to colonize other areas , such as key biscayne national park in dade county . while transplantation can be used to supplement other recovery efforts , the fws deems it a priority to protect the species where it naturally occurs .
the eastern woodrat is classified as least concern ( lc ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .
the long key bridge ( mm 63¼ - 65¼ ) separates the middle keys from the upper keys .
key biscayne is not one of the florida keys , but the first of the atlantic barrier islands .
official records for key west were kept at the weather bureau in downtown from january 1871 to february 1958 , and at key west int ' l since march 1958 . for more information , see threadex .
the florida keys have taken their present form as the result of the drastic changes in sea level associated with recent glaciations or ice ages . beginning some 130 , 000 years ago the sangamonian stage raised sea levels to approximately 25 feet ( 7 . 5 m ) above the current level . all of southern florida was covered by a shallow sea . several parallel lines of reef formed along the edge of the submerged florida plateau , stretching south and then west from the present miami area to what is now the dry tortugas . this reef formed the key largo limestone that is exposed on the surface from soldier key ( midway between key biscayne and elliott key ) to the southeast portion of big pine key and the newfound harbor keys . the types of coral that formed key largo limestone can be identified on the exposed surface of these keys .
at the site there were 120 men on 24 - hour alert with 12 missiles with high explosive warheads on duty 24 hours a day . nuclear warheads were in the arsenal but none reportedly were at the key largo site hm - 40 the actual missiles were across the road south of this site in hardened storage bunkers now part of the crocodile refuge . the north key largo site was one of three local sites , the other two being in key west and the everglades near florida city . all were interconnected and ready to launch simultaneously .
land has been set aside in florida and dedicated to woodrat conservation , but even with the protection afforded by a conservancy , the woodrat ' s small population and lack of breeding make it threatened with extinction in florida .
bleich vc , schwartz oa ( 1975 ) parturition in the white - throated woodrat . southwest nat 20 : 271–272
at last i spy the solemn tribute : each researcher’s mouse pad is emblazoned with a picture of a woodrat .
the other lesson , of greater importance , is that a small group of dedicated persons , even volunteers with little scientific training , can help turn around an extinction event just by persisting in intelligent efforts . in clayton’s words : “we are doing what we can so our grandchildren can some day see a key a largo woodrat ! ” .
the key largo angler ' s club was slowly materializing long before the ocean reef club . it began as private property being transferred from one owner to another back in the 1880s , as did most of the island of key largo . in 1912 a w . a . scott of fargo , north dakota acquired the property and constructed a fine two - story coral - rock house , part of which remains today as part of the dining room .
the key largo woodrat ( neotoma floridana smalli ) is a nocturnal 7 - 9 - ounce rodent that is reddish above , cinnamon on the sides , and has a cream or white belly coloration . its forefeet are white to the wrist and hindfeet are white to the ankles . it has large ears , protuberant eyes , and a hairy tail unlike it’s nonnative competitor , the black rat ( rattus rattus ) which has smaller ears and a naked , scaly tail . the head - and - body - length of the key largo woodrat ranges from 4 . 5 to 9 . 0 inches in length , with a tail of 4 . 7 to 9 . 0 in length .
the allegheny woodrat was once considered a subspecies of the florida woodrat , but through extensive dna evidence , it is now known to be a separate species . it grows to just over 17 inches and weighs up to 16 ounces . predators include
cameras placed around woodrat nests by the university of north carolina during a monitoring study have caught several cats in the act .
current population estimates of the species vary ; a 2012 study in the journal methods in ecology and evolution suggest between 78 and 693 individuals were left in key largo . whether or not the real number is on the high or low end of that range , the population of woodrats has dramatically dropped since about 6 , 000 of the rodents were counted on key largo in 1984 . the decline has been attributed to factors like increased development on the island and increased predation by cats , raccoons and other animals .
currently ranging from biscayne national park to key largo and lower matecumbe key , the schaus swallowtail butterfly is dwindling with populations numbering less than 1 , 000 individuals . the primary reason for decline is loss of habitat , use of insecticides , collection of the larvae , and extreme weather conditions . recovery efforts for this endangered species includes captive breeding programs to help restore the population .
the woodrat feeds on plants , nuts , berries , and seeds , as well as on slugs , cicadas and tree snails .
“my wife said i can’t find my socks , but i can find a woodrat nest out here , ” ralph degayner said .
since the mid 1980s , the key largo woodrat population has fallen from about 6 , 000 to approximately 500 , according to us fish and wildlife services estimates . the drop is worrisome , researchers said , because the woodrats are important to their forest ecosystems . they spread seeds , act as food for snakes and hawks , and provide shelter for other forest creatures by building stick nests .
monroe county had until recently only three incorporated cities , key west , key colony beach and layton . however , it once had the fourth city before islamorada . in 1955 , the city of north key largo beach was incorporated with 1 , 500 acres south of the angler ' s club by its city clerk , a . n . spense . the land had been purchased in 1940 when prices were quite low . the authority was chapter 31037 of house bill no . 1933 laws of florida , 1955 .
the mayor was newton ( tubby ) field , who had bought and sold everything from mountain tops to cows . the thinking was that as a municipality , the city of north key largo beach could set its own rules . tubby field was also involved in islandia .
habitat use by the endangered key deer ( odocoileus virginianus clavium ) includes pinelands , hardwood hammocks , and mangrove swamps . pinelands , hardwood hammocks and other upland dry areas are utilized for feeding activities while mangrove swamps are used for shelter from the heat during the day . two - thirds of the key deer population inhabits big pine key and no name key . the remaining deer reside in the following keys : lower keys : big pine , big torch , cudjoe , howe , little pine , little torch , middle torch , sugarloaf , and summerland . keys located further south lack a permanent supply of freshwater required by key deer for survival . the current key deer population is estimated at around 300 , up from the 1955 estimate of 25 - 80 .
the key largo woodrat is a resident of tropical hardwood hammocks , a type of forest that occurs on upland areas in the keys . these hammocks provide a shady , humid environment with less wind and temperature variation than more exposed areas . the soils are poorly developed and typically consist of a thin humus layer and litter lying on a limestone substrate . on key largo , tropical hardwood hammocks include a greater number of tropical plants than hammocks on the mainland . many tree and shrub species are west indian in origin and co - occur with a variety of vine species from temperate north america and the west indies . the canopy within these forests typically reaches a height of 30 to 40 feet .
today , the ocean reef club and the anglers club remain exclusive , isolated and private gated communities on the north tip of key largo . both are easily accessible by land , air and sea . to their south , florida crocodiles sunbathe in the crocodile lake national wildlife refuge .
the florida keys are the exposed portions of an ancient coral reef . the northernmost island arising from the ancient reef formation is elliott key , in biscayne national park . north of elliott key are several small transitional keys , composed of sand built up around small areas of exposed ancient reef . further north , key biscayne and places north are barrier islands , built up of sand . [ 5 ]
before long , disney visitors could watch woodrat highlight reels and listen to their raspy vocalizations . when the film ratatouille came out , children were invited to don chef’s toques and prepare a meal for the woodrats . jane goodall even paid a visit and featured the woodrat on her website .
clearly , the fate of the key largo woodrat hinged on doing something about the feral cat problem . but this meant a combination of educating humans and a bit of politics . clayton and the other volunteers trapped and removed feral cats from locations anywhere near to woodrat populations . they also instituted awareness programs in schools and among cat owners . they printed several books for the library and a new flyer published by usfws was made available . fws also attends workshops at local schools including one sponsored by tnr colony . but all was not smooth sailing . according to clayton :
by the 1980’s the population of woodrats had been reduced to an estimated 6 , 500 individuals . this decline continued until total numbers plunged to a perilous , estimated 100 individuals in 2004 . at that time , volunteer clayton degayner was told he would never see a key largo woodrat because they were going extinct . but he and his fellow volunteers were determined to turn the situation around . the fish and wildlife service studied the woodrat extensively . then , biologists at disney’s wild kingdom , notably dr . anne savage , took an interest in captive breeding of woodrats . according to clayton :
embed this arkive thumbnail link (
portlet
) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href =
urltoken
title =
arkive species - eastern woodrat ( neotoma floridana )
> < img src =
urltoken
alt =
arkive species - eastern woodrat ( neotoma floridana )
title =
arkive species - eastern woodrat ( neotoma floridana )
border =
0
/ > < / a >
eastern woodrats have been reported living up to 8 . 6 years . most eastern woodrat mortality , however , occurs in the first year of life .
the woodrat excavates an area in the organic soil at the base of trees , rocks , or stumps to build stick nests . in the absence of stick nests , it is believed that key largo woodrats use the root systems of large trees or solution holes ( u . s . fish & wildlife service 1999 ) . breeding peaks in the winter , but the key largo woodrat can reproduce all year ( hersh 1981 ) . during periods of breeding , females search for and defend nesting sites , while males are less aggressive . during periods of cooler weather , males become more aggressive in the search for nesting sites ( u . s . fish & wildlife service 1999 ) . females give birth to one to four young per litter with two to three litters born each year ( hersh 1981 , university of georgia 2008 ) . sexual maturity is reached by both sexes at the age of five months ( hersh 1981 ) .
woodrat middens are composed of many things , including plants macrofossils and fecal pellets . the size of the pellet is proportional to the size of the woodrat . by measuring the pellets , the approximate size of the woodrat is determined based on data from a study of field - trapped woodrats . from bergmann’s rule , differences in climate then can be determined . a study by smith , betancourt , and brown , published in 1995 , involved extensive research on this topic .
it has stopped raining in key largo , though the hardwoods still drip . at the crocodile lake refuge , workers are building hundreds of artificial fortress nests for the remaining woodrats and redoubling their efforts to capture invading cats . in recent months , encouraging signs have emerged : the woodrats appear to be expanding their territories .
despite these setbacks , efforts prevailed . for the first time in years , the large stick nests of the woodrats started to reappear in breeding areas . these nests can be up to 6 feet wide and 4 feet high . they are clear evidence that the woodrat population is breeding and growing again . keeping cats away from woodrat populations is crucial because the woodrat natural habitat , according to clayton , is only ten miles wide and the home range of a cat is 57 miles .
most projects are now forgotten , but one of the larger projects of the mid - 1970s was the north key largo yacht club , also known as solarelle . solarelle had property on both sides of highway 905 just north of the dividing point of us 1 and cr 905 on key largo - 406 acres . this project had been approved in 1974 before the state approved acsc ; therefore , had certain vested rights . in 1980 , fritz sharenberg took over the project and renamed it port bougainville - the name we associate with today . under mr . sharenberg , 2806 units were to be constructed . the development order was issued in 1982 .
building was booming in the keys , but nothing much happened on north key largo . with the new bridge opened and ocean reef booming , the key largo beach city fathers predicted in 1969 the town would grow to 5000 by 1974 and 100 , 000 by 1990 . in 1973 a couple of miami developers with $ 2 . 5 billion city of the future . the plan was for a three large marinas , four hotels and 10 health spas with single family homes for 35 , 000 people . to support the operation would be a heliport ( back to the auto gryo days ) , a hydrofoil base , a golf course , airport and monorail .
this species is largely restricted to about 2 , 100 acres ( 851 hectares ) of forested habitat on north key largo . some of this land is publicly owned , as parts of the crocodile lake national wildlife refuge and a state resource conservation zone . in 1988 , an estimated 6 , 500 woodrats were thought to exist there .
in search of nest no . 501 , jeremy dixon and ralph degayner trudged through the tropical hardwood hammock in north key largo , a slice of the keys that was a battleground in the early 1980s between developers who envisioned luxury condos and high - end resorts and conservationists who wanted to preserve the last pristine stretch of the island chain .
it seems as if there were 13 major islands forming islandia , elliott key being the largest . in 1886 , jeremiah saunders from green turtle key , bahamas , was was given a land grant signed by grover cleveland . this was probably the start of the large pineapple plantations for which elliott key became famous . other bahamian families were : william d . albury , henry filer , george sweeting , thomas sweeting , arthur higgs , alfred acheson , parson israel lafayette jones , etc .
mcmurry , s . , r . lochmiller , j . boggs , d . leslie , d . engle . 1993 . woodrat population dynamics following modication of resource availability .
chris has been at crocodile lake national wildlife refuge on key largo since 2013 . he and manager jeremy dixon are the refuge’s only full - time employees . with occasional help from volunteers , they’ve installed hundreds of artificial nests made of black culvert pipe , cut lengthwise to form a semi - cylindrical dome over which the woodrats pile often towering mounds of sticks .
meanwhile , the disney biologists published groundbreaking research on the seldom - studied rodents , pinpointing developmental milestones for woodrat pups and key maternal nursing behaviors . above all they scrutinized the animals’ painfully inept mating habits . ( many rodent species achieve pregnancy after every attempt , but the woodrat’s success rate is more like 15 percent . ) as thwarted partners boxed each other or ran away , the animal kingdom’s hardworking night team recorded behavioral signals—such as chirping noises made by amorous woodrats—that predict reproductive success , a vital step for sustaining the species in captivity .
a new study warns that florida ' s efforts to breed endangered key largo woodrats in captivity are doomed . critters brought up at a tampa zoo and at orlando ' s disney world don ' t have as many babies as they do in the wild , and when released back into their natural habitat , the rats are more vulnerable to predators like hawks and feral cats .
appearances aside , this rodent is considered a keystone species on the north end of this popular florida island . “they eat only nuts and fruits , ” chris notes , “so they spread seeds that contribute to a healthy hardwood hammock . ” key largo woodrats also have their own place in the food chain and the nests they create provide shelter for a range of other animals .
here we report the first observation of alloparental care in a subadult female key largo woodrat . maternal and other behaviors were scored for the subject dam and her subadult daughter at the birth of the dam’s second litter and the following 30 days . after assisting with birth , the subadult exhibited maternal behaviors and remained in close proximity to the pups . the rate of maternal care behaviors observed in the subject dam was lower than in solitary dams without an alloparent present . however , the total maternal care score for the dam and subadult combined approached the average score for single dams .
starting about 100 , 000 years ago the wisconsin glaciation began lowering sea levels , exposing the coral reef and surrounding marine sediments . by 15 , 000 years ago the sea level had dropped to 300 to 350 feet ( 110 m ) below the contemporary level . the exposed reefs and sediments were heavily eroded . acidic water , which can result from decaying vegetation , dissolves limestone . some of the dissolved limestone redeposited as a denser cap rock , which can be seen as outcrops overlying the key largo and miami limestones throughout the keys . the limestone that eroded from the reef formed oolites in the shallow sea behind the reef , and together with the skeletal remains of bryozoans , formed the miami limestone that is the current surface bedrock of the lower florida peninsula and the lower keys from big pine key to key west . to the west of key west the ancient reef is covered by recent calcareous sand . [ 6 ]
from left , jeremy dixon , manager of the crocodile lake national wildlife refuge , and volunteer ralph degayner check out woodrat nest no . 501 that is built from more than 1 , 000 sticks .
a unique form of midden analysis examined pack rat middens . [ 7 ] the size of woodrat pellet is proportional to the size of the woodrat . by measuring the pellets , the approximate size of the woodrat was determined based on data from a study of field - trapped woodrats . from bergmann’s rule , differences in climate then can be determined . according to bergmann’s rule , the body size of vertebrates is closely related to the average ambient air temperature in the region in which the vertebrate lives , so organisms in warmer regions are typically smaller than members of the same species in colder regions .
a pack rat , also called a trade rat or wood rat , can be any of several species in the genus neotoma , but most commonly the bushy - tailed woodrat ( neotoma cinerea ) .
journal of antonio de herrera quoted in goodwin - nguyen , s ( 2008 ) key west : a comprehensive guide to florida ' s southernmost city , channel lake , p . 19 .
after the destruction of the keys railway by the labor day hurricane of 1935 , the railroad bridges , including the seven mile bridge , were converted to automobile roadways . this roadway , u . s . highway 1 , became the overseas highway that runs from key largo south to key west . today this unique coastal highway allows those in automobiles to travel through the tropical islands of the florida keys and view exotic plants and animals found nowhere else on the us mainland . the overseas highway allows travelers access to the largest coral reef chain in the united states that runs through the florida keys .
nawrot , j . r . and spitzkeit , j . ( 1986 ) eastern woodrat recovery - phase 1 : habitat protection and population enhancement . cooperative wildlife research laboratory , southern illinois university , carbondale .
key largo woodrats are an endangered subspecies with an extremely limited habitat . this study sought to understand woodrat habitat preferences in order to guide management . woodrats build stick nests from natural and artificial materials , so nest distribution and nest occupancy were used as indicators of preference . distribution was determined by nest surveys , and remote cameras were used to assess occupancy . forest structure , human disturbance , nest , and animal presence metrics were also collected . more nests were found along abandoned roads than along forest transects and more artificial nests were occupied than natural nests . these findings indicate that woodrats prefer areas with human disturbance , rather than forest age and structure as previously believed . this may have consequences on woodrat management , as it suggests that man - made materials are currently needed by woodrats even in a protected natural area .
after various unsuccessful complaints and attempts to get a legal injunction against the blockade failed in federal court in miami , on april 23 , 1982 , key west mayor dennis wardlow and the city council declared the independence of the city of key west , calling it the
conch republic
. after one minute of secession , he ( as
prime minister
) surrendered to an officer of the key west naval air station ( nas ) , and requested one billion ( $ 1 , 000 , 000 , 000 ) dollars in
foreign aid
. [ 4 ]
in 1986 , a proposal to designate critical habitat for the woodrat was withdrawn after an agreement was worked out with private landowners that would allow minimal residential development in exchange for wider conservation of hardwood hammock habitat .
pearson , p . g . ( 1952 ) observations concerning the life history and ecology of the woodrat , neotoma floridana floridana . journal of mammalogy , american society of mammalogists , 33 : 459 - 463 .
resident wayne blevins is not happy about the trapping of the unowned cats . he’s been feeding cat colonies in key largo for more than a decade . he said in the same meeting that dixon has lied to the community about trapping the felines only on refuge land , claiming traps were put at a grocery store about a mile from the refuge , a site where some of his beloved cats congregate for daily feedings .
in 1982 , the united states border patrol had established a roadblock and inspection points on us highway 1 , stopping all northbound traffic returning to the mainland at florida city , to search vehicles for illegal drugs and undocumented peoples . the key west city council repeatedly complained about the roadblocks , which were a major inconvenience for people traveling from key west , and hurt the keys ' important tourism industry .
the expressed opinions , informational content and links displayed on urltoken pages do not necessarily reflect a position or policy of blue pimpernel llc , key west the newspaper [ the blue paper ] , its affiliates , or advertisers . no official endorsement by blue pimpernel llc , key west the newspaper [ the blue paper ] , its affiliates , or advertisers of the viewpoints expressed on urltoken pages should be inferred .
the eastern woodrat is a habitat generalist found in a range of different habitats , from coastal to mountain regions ( 4 ) ( 6 ) ( 7 ) . it is often found in rocky areas , and is known to nest under rocks and boulders ( 5 ) ( 6 ) ( 7 ) . in woodland areas , the eastern woodrat will nest beneath hollow logs or stumps and piles of wooden debris ( 5 ) .
“we are in the middle of the sixth great extinction , ” dixon said . “it’s happening everywhere . so we have got to preserve what biodiversity we have . the woodrat is certainly part of that mix . ”
from east to west , crocodile lake nwr , national key deer refuge , great white heron nwr and key west nwr are home to some of the world’s most endangered habitats , plants , and wildlife species . and for nearly twenty years , a group of volunteers has helped make certain that the florida keys national wildlife refuges retain their status as some of the most beautiful and unique natural resources in the world .
the key largo woodrat’s protectors are eager to catch a cat in the act , using some of the new technology that’s giving an especially clear and gory picture of the house cat’s killing prowess . jiggly footage from the university of georgia’s 2012 “kitty cam” study of more than 50 well - fed suburban house pets ( “subsidized predators” is the formal term ) showed that almost half are active hunters , though they seldom bring home their catch , often leaving it uneaten at the kill site where their owners don’t see it . and one hawaiian researcher recorded a cat dragging a downy hawaiian petrel chick from its nest , powerful proof of house cat predation on an endangered species .
officials called on residents to stop feeding feral cats and to keep their own pet felines indoors . but some communities have continued to feed key largo ' s roving cats — and they might be enabling rat - killers . a study published one year ago in the journal nature communications estimated that cats kill between 1 . 4 billion and 3 . 7 billion birds and between 6 . 9 billion and 20 . 7 billion small mammals each year .
in addition to loss of its habitat , the woodrat suffered because large numbers of domestic cats were abandoned by their owners and left to breed on key largo . at this time there are still about 500 feral cats living on the north side of the island and 100’s more in the south . the cats are concentrated in special shelters constructed by feral cat advocates . these shelters are called trap , neuter and return colonies , or tnr for short . they are a way of dealing with feral cats . these cats were born in the wild and do not domesticate . lovers of cats want to keep them alive , but also prevent them from increasing in numbers over time .
the eastern woodrat ( neotoma floridana ) is a large species of the genus , neotoma ( 3 ) ( 4 ) . males weigh around 300 grams on average , with females generally weighing less than 250 grams ( 2 ) .
smith , f . a . ; betancourt , j . l . ; brown , j . h . ( 1995 ) .
effects of global warming on woodrat ( neotoma cinerea ) body size during the last deglaciation
.
this species is generally uncommon ( schwartz and schwartz 1981 ) , but total population size certainly is in excess of 10 , 000 individuals . the eastern woodrat appears never to have been abundant over much of the range , but few data are available on population trends . characterized by low densities , with a kansas study reporting 0 . 20 / ha in one year and 0 . 82 / ha in another . density was estimated at 7 . 6 / ha over 851 ha at key largo , florida ( humphrey 1988 ) . population density in pennsylvania was 1 - 4 / ha . densities of 5 - 8 adults per hectare are probably high for the species ( burt and grossenheider 1976 ) .


the small-spine tadpole-goby ( benthophilus mahmudbejovi ) is a species of goby , a small fish native to the eastern coasts of the caspian sea and the lower reaches of the volga river up to volgograd .

in the sea it is recorded from the cape peschany to the çeleken peninsula and ogurja ada island in the south .

it is abundant the volga river delta .

this species can be found at depths down to 50 metres ( 160 ft ) although the adults generally are not found deeper than 11 metres ( 36 ft ) .

this species can reach a length of 6.6 centimetres ( 2.6 in ) tl .

small - spine tadpole - goby

the small - spine tadpole - goby ( benthophilus mahmudbejovi ) is a species of goby , a small fish native to the eastern coasts of the caspian sea and the lower reaches of the volga river up to volgograd . in the sea it is recorded from the cape peschany to çeleken peninsula and island ogurja
tadpole - gobies are small fish , never larger than 15 cm , and usually smaller . their life span is about one year . after spawning they die .
the tadpole - gobies ( benthophilus ) , also called pugolovkas ( which means
tadpole
in ukrainian ) , are a genus of ponto - caspian fishes in the family gobiidae .
encyclo . co . uk , online since 2007 , is a search engine for english meanings and definitions . the website aims to publish all wordlists , big and small , on the internet , making it much easier to find the word you need . follow us on facebook
boldyrev v . s . , bogutskaya n . g . ( 2007 ) revision of the tadpole - gobiez of the genus benthophilus ( teleostei : gobiidae ) . ichthyol . explor . freshwaters , 18 ( 1 ) : 31 - 96 . [ 1 ]
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 strict / / en
urltoken
thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
gland , switzerland , 5 july 2018 ( iucn ) – australia’s unique reptiles – including lizards and snakes – face severe threats from invasive species and climate change , with 7 % of th . . .
the value of medicinal and aromatic plant trade has increased three - fold in the past 20 years , but traditional harvesting practices are being replaced by less sustainable alternatives . . . .
a recently released iucn technical brief recommends increasing investments in sustainable land management practices , as well as better cooperation between agriculturalists and conservationists to conse . . .
along most coasts of caspian sea ( at depth 3 - 15 m in north caspian , and at down to 50 m in central and south caspian ) , abundant in volga delta ( ragimov , 1976 , 1977 , 1981 , 1985b ) . recorded in volga downstream from volgograd ( lagunova , in ragimov , 1981 ) but a single sample is reliably known only from the upper part of the volga delta ( 45 km upstream from astrakhan ' , ragimov ' s matererial , iza uncat . ) .
habitat : fresh and brackish waters , salinity up to 13 ‰ . down to 50 m , mature adults at 1 - 11 m . biology : lives about one year . spawns in may - september , until december in southern caspian . some individuals may spawn for the first time at 6 - 7 months . females probably lay eggs in three portions . females die after spawning , males probably 3 - 4 weeks later .
to make use of this information , please check the < terms of use > .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml + rdfa 1 . 0 / / en
urltoken
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd html 4 . 01 transitional / / en
urltoken
the source code for the wiki 2 extension is being checked by specialists of the mozilla foundation , google , and apple . you could also do it yourself at any point in time .
would you like wikipedia to always look as professional and up - to - date ? we have created a browser extension .
it will enhance any encyclopedic page you visit with the magic of the wiki 2 technology .
i use wiki 2 every day and almost forgot how the original wikipedia looks like .
of perfecting techniques ; in live mode . quite the same wikipedia . just better .
freyhof , j . & kottelat , m . 2008 . benthophilus mahmudbejovi . in : iucn 2013 . iucn red list of threatened species . version 2013 . 1 . urltoken . downloaded on 04 august 2013 .
froese , rainer and pauly , daniel , eds . ( 2013 ) .
benthophilus mahmudbejovi
in fishbase . april 2013 version .
this page was last edited on 10 february 2018 , at 15 : 49 .
basis of this page is in wikipedia . text is available under the cc by - sa 3 . 0 unported license . non - text media are available under their specified licenses . wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the wikimedia foundation , inc . wiki 2 is an independent company and has no affiliation with wikimedia foundation .
they are distributed in the fresh and brackish waters of basins of the black sea , caspian sea and the sea of azov , up to salinities of about 20 ‰ . they typically live in habitats such as the deep waters of the caspian ( salinity about 13 ‰ ) and in the deltas , estuaries and coastal waters of the ponto - caspian .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 transitional / / en
urltoken
, select family and click on ' identification by pictures ' to display all available pictures in fishbase for the family .
, select country and click on ' identification by pictures ' to display all available pictures in fishbase for the country .
, select ecosystem and click on ' identification by pictures ' to display all available pictures in fishbase for the ecosystem .
cfm script by eagbayani , 30 . 11 . 04 , , php script by cmilitante , 05 / 11 / 2010 , last modified by cmilitante , 14 / 03 / 2013


procambarus delicatus , sometimes called the big-cheeked cave crayfish , is a species of crayfish in the family cambaridae .

it is endemic to the ocala national forest , lake county , florida .

procambarus delicatus

holotype for procambarus ( ortmannicus ) delicatus hobbs & franz , 1986 catalog number : usnm 218528 collection : smithsonian institution , national museum of natural history , department of invertebrate zoology sex / stage : male ; ii preparation : alcohol ( ethanol ) collector ( s ) : j . smith & d . haren year collected : 1985 locality : alexander springs , lake county , florida , united states
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 strict / / en
urltoken
thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
critically endangered ( possibly extinct ) b1ab ( iii ) + 2ab ( iii ) ver 3 . 1
livingston , f . , soulsby , a . - m . , batchelor , a . , dyer , e . , whitton , f . , milligan , h . t . , smith , j . , lutz , m . l . , de silva , r . , mcguinness , s . , kasthala , g . , jopling , b . , sullivan , k . & cryer , g .
has been assessed as critically endangered ( possibly extinct ) b1ab ( iii ) + b2ab ( iii ) . this species has an extent of occurrence ( eoo ) less than 100 km² , an area of occupancy ( aoo ) of 0 . 06 m² , and is only known from one location . it has not been seen since 1976 , however targeted surveys are required to determine whether it is in fact extinct . this species habitat is under threat from activities such as snorkelling , scuba diving and swimming , and resulting pollution .
is known from its type locality , a single spring within ocala natural forest , lake county , florida ( hobbs and franz 1986 ) . this species has a distribution of less than 100 km² .
. ( 1976 ) , one specimen was found outside of the subterranean system resting on a pile of loose debris and a second specimen was found at the main cave entrance by the main boil ( an upheaval of water at the surface ) . hobbs and franz ( 1986 ) anticipate that the population of this species
is small and that is why so few have been recorded . one more specimen of this species was collected in 1986 while seining the vegetation around a spring pool ( p moler pers . comm . 2010 ) .
is found in subterranean waters and springs ( hobbs and franz 1986 ) . this species is found in one pool where the water enters from numerous small openings and cracks , none of which are large enough for a person to enter ( hobb and franz 1986 ) . the spring is covered by numerous boils ( upheaval of water at the surface ) ( hobbs and franz 1986 ) . the substrate varies from sand to limestone rocks and boulders ( hobbs and franz 1986 ) . it is unknown how
receives nutrients , however there is loose debris that accumulates in stagnant areas near the spring boils ( hobbs and franz 1986 ) .
is threatened by disturbance from tourism . the spring is a major tourist attraction which is used for fishing , snorkelling , swimming , and is popular with scuba divers ( ocala national forest visitor centre 2008 ) , resulting in degraded habitat .
there are no species - specific conservation measures in place for this species . this species has been given a natureserve global heritage status rank of g1 , and was assigned an american fisheries society status of ' endangered ' ( taylor et al . 2007 , natureserve 2009 ) . surveys are needed to confirm the presence of this species .
to make use of this information , please check the < terms of use > .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 strict / / en
urltoken
hobbs , h . h . , jr . 1989 . an illustrated checklist of the american crayfishes ( decapoda : astacidae , cambaridae , and parastacidae ) . smithsonian contributions to zoology 480 : 1 - 236 .
believed to belong to the p . seminolae group , and likely closely related to p . attiguus and on the line that diverged to troglocambarus .
this species has an extent of occurrence of less than 10 sq . km and is known from one cave system . it has not been seen since 1976 ; however , targeted surveys are required to determine whether it is extinct . the species ' habitat is regularly disturbed by activities such as snorkeling , scuba diving , and swimming , and possibly pollution . as a cave species , it is probably quite fragile and sensitive to changes in habitat , especially water quality .
due to latency between updates made in state , provincial or other natureserve network databases and when they appear on natureserve explorer , for state or provincial information you may wish to contact the data steward in your jurisdiction to obtain the most current data . please refer to
known from only one site ( alexander springs cave ) in lake county , florida , usa .
only known from the type locality , alexander springs , lake county , florida , usa .
estimate . fewer than 10 specimens have been taken in the 15 + years its existence has been known . however , its cave habitat at alexander springs is inaccessible to man . in a study conducted by relyea et al . ( 1976 ) , one specimen was found outside of the subterranean system resting on a pile of loose debris , and a second specimen was found at the main cave entrance by the main boil ( an upheaval of water at the surface ) . hobbs and franz ( 1986 ) suspected that the population is small and that this may partly explain why so few specimens have been recorded . there have been no recorded sightings of the species since 1976 ( hobbs and franz , 1986 ) .
presumably sensitive to degradation of aquifers ( pollution ) , alteration ( especially reduction ) of detrital flow , and saltwater intrusion that may accompany excessive water withdrawal ( for agriculture , industry , and human consumption ) or sea level rise . this species is threatened by various forms of human disturbance . the spring is a major recreation attraction used for fishing , snorkeling , swimming , and scuba diving .
as a cave species dependent upon detrital flow as well as the quantity and quality of water in the aquifer , it is presumably delicate . additionally , the population size may be very small .
to the extent possible , monitor the population at alexander springs . conduct additional surveys to determine the extent , distribution , connectivity , and statuses of any other occurrences that may exist . for each population , record geographic extent , population demographics and densities , types and levels of threats , and kind and degree of protection if any .
coordinate with land manager of known site ( u . s . forest service ) to assure proper management for species and specific inclusion in formal land management plans .
( < 100 square km ( less than about 40 square miles ) ) known from only one site ( alexander springs cave ) in lake county , florida , usa .
it occurs in subterranean pools in aquatic caves characterized by low energy input . the species is found in subterranean waters and springs ( hobbs and franz , 1986 ) . this species is found in one pool where the water enters from numerous small openings and cracks , none of which are large enough for a person to enter ( hobb and franz , 1986 ) . the spring is covered by numerous boils ( upheaval of water at the surface ) ( hobbs and franz , 1986 ) . the substrate varies from sand to limestone rocks and boulders . it is unknown how the species receives nutrients , however there is loose debris that accumulates in stagnant areas near the spring boils ( hobbs and franz , 1986 ) .
most aspects of its biology require study . studies of life history , fecundity , and precise environmental needs would be valuable . determine population responses to disturbances such as pollution of groundwater and alterations in surface water and detrital flow .
occurrences are based on some evidence of historical or current presence of single or multiple specimens , including live specimens or recently dead shells ( i . e . , soft tissue still attached without signs of external weathering or staining ) , at a given location with potentially recurring existence . evidence is derived from reliable published observation or collection data ; unpublished , though documented ( i . e . government or agency reports , web sites , etc . ) observation or collection data ; or museum specimen information .
separation barriers are based on hydrological discontinuity . additional physical barriers , particularly for secondary and tertiary burrowers , include presence of upland habitat between water connections of a distance greater than 30 m . migration of primary burrowers is generally not hindered by presence of upland habitat unless conditions are very xeric ( dry and desert - like ) ( smith , 2001 ) .
freshwater cave ( troglobitic ) species may occur from near entrances to very deep in cave systems . for cave species , each cave where an observation or collection was recorded ( see minimum eo criteria , above ) constitutes an element occurrence regardless of separation distance unless caves are part of a single hydrological system ( see below ) . occurrences are additionally separated by underground physical barriers to movement . multiple caves within a single hydrological cave system are considered to be a single element occurrence when they are less than one km apart . multiple caves within a single hydrological cave system are considered separate element occurrences when hydrological connections have not been determined or when separated by a distance of at least one km .
zoological data developed by natureserve and its network of natural heritage programs ( see local programs ) and other contributors and cooperators ( see sources ) .
deyrup , m . and r . franz . 1994 . rare and endangered biota of florida , volume iv . invertebrates . university press of florida : gainesville , florida . 798 pp .
franz , r . , j . bauer , and t . morris . 1994 . review of biologically significant caves and their faunas in florida and south georgia . brimleyana 20 : 1 - 109 .
hobbs , h . h . , jr . and r . franz . 1986 . new troglobitic crayfish with comments on its relationship to epigean and other hypogean crayfishes of florida . journal of crustacean biology 6 ( 3 ) : 509 - 519 .
taylor , c . a . , g . a . schuster , j . e . cooper , r . j . distefano , a . g . eversole , p . hamr , h . h . hobbs iii , h . w . robison , c . e . skelton , and r . f . thoma . 2007 . a reassessment of the conservation status of crayfishes of the united states and canada after 10 + years of increased awareness . fisheries 32 ( 8 ) : 371 - 389 .
walsh , s . j . 2001 . freshwater macrofauna of florida karst habitats . pages 78 - 88 in e . kuniansky ( ed . ) . u . s . geological survey karst interest group proceedings , st . petersburg , florida , february 13 - 16 , 2001 , usgs water - resources investigations report 01 - 4011 .
the small print : trademark , copyright , citation guidelines , restrictions on use , and information disclaimer .
note : all species and ecological community data presented in natureserve explorer at urltoken were updated to be current with natureserve ' s central databases as of november 2016 . note : this report was printed on
trademark notice :
natureserve
, natureserve explorer , the natureserve logo , and all other names of natureserve programs referenced herein are trademarks of natureserve . any other product or company names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners .
copyright notice : copyright © 2017 natureserve , 4600 n . fairfax dr . , 7th floor , arlington virginia 22203 , u . s . a . all rights reserved . each document delivered from this server or web site may contain other proprietary notices and copyright information relating to that document . the following citation should be used in any published materials which reference the web site .
natureserve . 2017 . natureserve explorer : an online encyclopedia of life [ web application ] . version 7 . 1 . natureserve , arlington , virginia . available http : / / explorer . natureserve . org . ( accessed :
ridgely , r . s . , t . f . allnutt , t . brooks , d . k . mcnicol , d . w . mehlman , b . e . young , and j . r . zook . 2003 . digital distribution maps of the birds of the western hemisphere , version 1 . 0 . natureserve , arlington , virginia , usa .
data provided by natureserve in collaboration with robert ridgely , james zook , the nature conservancy - migratory bird program , conservation international - cabs , world wildlife fund - us , and environment canada - wildspace .
patterson , b . d . , g . ceballos , w . sechrest , m . f . tognelli , t . brooks , l . luna , p . ortega , i . salazar , and b . e . young . 2003 . digital distribution maps of the mammals of the western hemisphere , version 1 . 0 . natureserve , arlington , virginia , usa .
data provided by natureserve in collaboration with bruce patterson , wes sechrest , marcelo tognelli , gerardo ceballos , the nature conservancy - migratory bird program , conservation international - cabs , world wildlife fund - us , and environment canada - wildspace .
iucn , conservation international , and natureserve . 2004 . global amphibian assessment . iucn , conservation international , and natureserve , washington , dc and arlington , virginia , usa .
data developed as part of the global amphibian assessment and provided by iucn - world conservation union , conservation international and natureserve .
no graphics available from this server can be used , copied or distributed separate from the accompanying text . any rights not expressly granted herein are reserved by natureserve . nothing contained herein shall be construed as conferring by implication , estoppel , or otherwise any license or right under any trademark of natureserve . no trademark owned by natureserve may be used in advertising or promotion pertaining to the distribution of documents delivered from this server without specific advance permission from natureserve . except as expressly provided above , nothing contained herein shall be construed as conferring any license or right under any natureserve copyright .
) . your comments will be very valuable in improving the overall quality of our databases for the benefit of all users .
this article is issued from wikipedia - version of the 10 / 23 / 2016 . the text is available under the creative commons attribution / share alike but additional terms may apply for the media files .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd html 4 . 01 transitional / / en
urltoken
associate research scientist , center for biodiversity , illinois natural history survey , 607 e . peabody drive , champaign , il 61820 , usa
associate research scientist , center for biodiversity , illinois natural history survey 607 e . peabody drive champaign , il 61820
mclaughlin et al . 2005 . common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the united states and canada : crustaceans . american fisheries society special publication 31
williams , austin b . , lawrence g . abele , d . l . felder , h . h . hobbs , jr . , r . b . manning , et al .
- - natureserve explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50 , 000 plants , animals and ecological communtities of the u . s and canada . natureserve explorer provides in - depth information on rare and endangered species , but includes common plants and animals too . natureserve explorer is a product of natureserve in collaboration with the natural heritage network .
itis reports - - itis ( the integrated taxonomic information system ) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants , animals , fungi , and microbes of north america and the world .
fws digital media library - - the u . s . fish and wildlife service ' s national digital library is a searchable collection of selected images , historical artifacts , audio clips , publications , and video .
is known from its type locality , a single spring withinocala natural forest , lake county , florida ( hobbs and franz 1986 ) . this species has a distribution of less than 100 km .
global range : ( < 100 square km ( less than about 40 square miles ) ) restricted to one site ( alexander springs cave ) in lake county , florida , usa .
comments : it occurs in subterranean pools in aquatic caves characterized by low energy input . the species is found in subterranean waters and springs ( hobbs and franz , 1986 ) . this species is found in one pool where the water enters from numerous small openings and cracks , none of which are large enough for a person to enter ( hobb and franz , 1986 ) . the spring is covered by numerous boils ( upheaval of water at the surface ) ( hobbs and franz , 1986 ) . the substrate varies from sand to limestone rocks and boulders . it is unknown how the species receives nutrients , however there is loose debris that accumulates in stagnant areas near the spring boils ( hobbs and franz , 1986 ) .
non - migrant : no . all populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations .
locally migrant : no . no populations of this species make local extended movements ( generally less than 200 km ) at particular times of the year ( e . g . , to breeding or wintering grounds , to hibernation sites ) .
locally migrant : no . no populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km .
note : for many non - migratory species , occurrences are roughly equivalent to populations .
comments : estimate . fewer than 10 specimens have been taken in the 15 + years its existence has been known . however , its cave habitat at alexander springs is inaccessible to man . in a study conducted by relyea et al . ( 1976 ) , one specimen was found outside of the subterranean system resting on a pile of loose debris , and a second specimen was found at the main cave entrance by the main boil ( an upheaval of water at the surface ) . hobbs and franz ( 1986 ) suspected that the population is small and that this may partly explain why so few specimens have been recorded . there have been no recorded sightings of the species since 1976 ( hobbs and franz , 1986 ) .
has been assessed as critically endangered ( possibly extinct ) b1ab ( iii ) + b2ab ( iii ) . this species has an extent of occurrence ( eoo ) less than 100 km , an area of occupancy ( aoo ) of 0 . 06 m , and is only known from one location . it has not been seen since 1976 , however targeted surveys are required to determine whether it is in fact extinct . this species habitat is under threat from activities such as snorkelling , scuba diving and swimming , and resulting pollution .
reasons : this species has an extent of occurrence of less than 10 sq . km and is known from one location . it has not been seen since 1976 ; however , targeted surveys are required to determine whether it is extinct . the species ' habitat is under threat from activities such as snorkeling , scuba diving , and swimming , and possibly pollution .
comments : the species is threatened by various forms of human disturbance . the spring is a major recreation attraction used for fishing , snorkeling , swimming , and scuba diving .
comments : the occurrence is on land belonging to the u . s . forest service ( ocala national forest ) , but it is uncertain whether species is considered in management plans .
needs : protect known eo ; notify u . s . forest service of its presence and incorporate it into management plan .
comments : believed to belong to the p . seminolae group , and likely closely related to p . attiguus and on the line that diverged to troglocambarus .
eol content is automatically assembled from many different content providers . as a result , from time to time you may find pages on eol that are confusing .
to request an improvement , please leave a comment on the page . thank you !
data and apps idaho fish and wildlife information system bringing information to bear on the management and conservation of fish , wildlife , and plants in idaho .