Conservation phylogenetics of Ozark crayfishes: Assigning priorities for aquatic habitat protection Original Research Article

A molecular phylogeny based on nucleotide sequence data from the 16S region of the mitochondrial genome was estimated for 20 species of crayfish native to the Ozark Plateaus region of Missouri and Arkansas, USA. With this phylogeny and information on geographic distribution, ecological specialization, and species abundance, species were assessed for their status as rare and endangered. Three species not previously listed, Orconectes nana, Orconectes macrus, and Cambarus maculatus, merit inclusion as ‘rare’ in the Rare and Endangered Species of Missouri Checklist. Three other species merit inclusion with the status ‘Watch List’: Orconectes hylas, Orconectes medius, and Cambarus hubbsi. Additionally, the status of the following species merit changing from ‘Watch List’ to ‘Rare’: Orconectes peruncus and Orconectes quadruncus. Faunal regions within the Ozark Plateaus were ranked for conservation priority using species richness, taxonomic diversity, and phylogenetic diversity. The White River, Black River, and Mississippi River regions of the Ozarks were found to rank highest in terms of conservation priorities.