Deakin University
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

Systematics of the freshwater crayfish genus Cherax Erichson (Decapoda: Parastacidae) in northern and eastern Australia: electrophoretic and morphological variation

journal contribution
posted on 1996-01-01, 00:00 authored by Chris AustinChris Austin
A study of electrophoretic variation amongst 15 putative species of Cherax from northern and eastern Australia supported the recognition of only eight species. Analysis of morphological variation within these crayfish was largely consistent with the taxa identified electrophoretically, although variation in taxonomic characteristics was found to be far more extensive than was previously realised. Of the species identified electrophoretically, only C. dispar Riek and C. rhynchotus Riek are entirely consistent with the moat recent taxonomic review of Cherax. The delineation of C. depressus Riek and C. wasselli Riek, although only partially consistent with the accepted geographic distributions of these species, is otherwise similar to the most recent taxonomic treatment. The major taxonomic changes supported by this study involve the delineation of C. cairnsensis Riek, C. cuspidatus Riek, C. destructor Clark and C. quadricarinatus (von Martens). Cherax cairnsensis, which could not be distinguished from the putative C. gladstonensis Riek and, in part, C. wasselli and C. depressus, is an electrophoretically variable species with an extensive distribution along most of the east coast of Queensland from just north of Calms to just north of Brisbane. The species C. cuspidatus and C. neopunctatus Riek could not be clearly separated from one another and so support a more broadly defined C. cuspidatus. The four species that make up the 'C. destructor' complex (C. albidus Clark, C. davisi Clark, C. destructor Clark and C. esculus Riek) and C. rotundus Clark appear to be part of a single, morphologically variable, species, C. destructor. The redefinition of the northern Australian species C. quadricarinatus to include C. bicarinatus (Gray) from the north-west and C. albertisii (Nobili) from New Guinea is also supported on the basis of both electrophoretic and morphological data. Two species, C. punctatus and C. robustus Riek, are more tentatively recognised solely on the basis of morphological evidence.

History

Journal

Australian journal of zoology

Volume

44

Issue

3

Pagination

259 - 296

Publisher

CSIRO

Location

Clayton, Vic.

ISSN

0004-959X

eISSN

1446-5698

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

1996, CSIRO

Usage metrics

    Research Publications

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC