Eric R. Larson, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, 1122 NE Boat Street, Seattle, Washington 98105 Craig A. Busack, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, Washington 98501 Jon D. Anderson, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, Washington 98501 and Julian D. Olden1, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, 1122 NE Boat Street, Seattle, Washington 98105

Widespread Distribution of the Non-Native Northern Crayfish ( virilis) in the Columbia River Basin

Abstract We report here the first records of the non-native northern crayfish (Orconectes virilis) in the Columbia River basin within Washington State. Confirmed occurrences include the reservoirs Lake Rufus Woods and Lake Roosevelt on the Columbia River, North Twin Lake in the upper Columbia River basin, Lake Patterson in the Methow River basin, Wapato Lake in the Lake Chelan basin, and Moses Lake in central Washington. Uncertainty remains as to the source, extent of current distribution, and potential impacts of these O. virilis populations. Release of live bait by anglers is a common pathway for crayfish introductions, although stocking for harvest or aquaculture and releases of pets or laboratory is equally likely for the introduction of O. virilis to the region. Evaluating potential impacts of O. virilis on native crayfish, fish, and other species in the Columbia River basin will require additional study. These newly discovered O. virilis populations are likely to naturally disperse further through the Columbia River, its tributaries, and the irrigation infrastructure of central Washington’s Columbia Basin Project.

North America is home to nearly 400 of the 638 We report here the first records of the introduced described crayfish species worldwide (Crandall northern crayfish (Orconectes virilis) (Hagen, and Buhay 2008), but this diversity is not ho- 1870) in the Columbia River basin within Wash- mogenously distributed. Western areas of North ington State. Native over a large distribution in the America are particularly crayfish-poor relative to central and eastern United States and Canada, O. the eastern half of the continent. Some western virilis has been confirmed as an introduced species basins, such as the Colorado River, previously in California since at least 1940 when laboratory lacked native crayfish altogether, while northern specimens escaped from ponds at Chico State California and the Pacific Northwest region of College (Cohen and Carlton 1995). However, the the United States and Canada were historically species has only recently been documented in the inhabited by only five native crayfishes of the Pacific Northwest, known from two disparate point family Astacidae (Miller 1960, Bouchard 1977). occurrences in Idaho (Clark and Lester 2005) and This status is rapidly changing, however, as west- two urban lakes in western Washington (Larson and ern North America is increasingly invaded by Olden 2008). Incidental collections of O. virilis introduced crayfishes of the family by biologists and private citizens in Washington native to eastern North America (Mueller 2001, over the past several years have now expanded Olden et al. 2009). These introductions have un- the known distribution of this species to include known consequences for western ecosystems and multiple sites in the Columbia River basin. populations of conservation concern, although the Confirmed O. virilis occurrences include the possible extinction of California’s sooty crayfish reservoirs Lake Rufus Woods and Lake Roosevelt (Pacifastacus nigrescens) may be an early casualty on the Columbia River, North Twin Lake in the of non-native crayfish invasions (Bouchard 1977, upper Columbia River basin, Lake Patterson in Taylor et al. 2007). the Methow River basin, Wapato Lake in the Lake Chelan basin, and Moses Lake in central 1 Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Washington (Table 1, Figure 1). The incidental E-mail: [email protected] nature of these O. virilis collections, including

108 Northwest Science, Vol. 84, No. 1, 2010 © 2010 by the Northwest Scientific Association. All rights reserved. TABLE 1. Lakes where Orconectes virilis have been collected in the Columbia River basin within Washington State, with date of collection (month-year), coordinates (NAD83) and collectors. Multiple occurrences from Lake Roosevelt represent widely distributed sites where O. virilis was found entangled in Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife nets during fish sampling (Figure 1). Specimens were collected from other lakes by various means, including hand net in rocky littoral habitats and overnight trapping with baited Gee minnow traps. Differences in collecting technique and effort prohibit comparisons or estimates of population size, but at most lakes O. virilis was common to highly abundant.

Lake Date(s) Latitude Longitude Collectors Moses 9-08, 5-09 47.1276 -119.3041 J. Anderson, D. Clay, M. Schmuck North Twin 9-09 48.2869 -118.3812 E. Larson Patterson 9-07 48.4573 -120.2467 B. Jateff, G. Weist Roosevelt 8-07 47.9344 -118.9767 M. Howell, M. Miller Roosevelt 8-07 47.9375 -118.9619 M. Howell, M. Miller Roosevelt 8-07 47.9511 -118.9933 M. Howell, M. Miller Roosevelt 10-07 48.4653 -118.2104 M. Howell, M. Miller Roosevelt 10-07 48.4684 -118.1998 M. Howell, M. Miller Roosevelt 10-07 48.5097 -118.1587 M. Howell, M. Miller Roosevelt 10-07 48.5362 -118.1480 M. Howell, M. Miller Roosevelt 10-07 48.5399 -118.1452 M. Howell, M. Miller Roosevelt 10-07 48.5706 -118.1277 M. Howell, M. Miller Rufus Woods 9-06 48.1466 -119.1118 E. Buchanan Wapato 9-09 47.9182 -120.1634 E. Larson entanglement in fish sampling gear and harvest to naturally disperse further in the Columbia River, for consumption by the public, inhibits estimates its tributaries, and the irrigation infrastructure of and comparisons of population size. However, O. central Washington’s Columbia Basin Project. For virilis is common at most sites and populations example, Moses Lake and many other waterbodies appear to be well-established. Identification of of central Washington are modified or formed by O. virilis specimens from Roosevelt, North Twin water diverted from Lake Roosevelt and Grand and Wapato lakes was confirmed by crayfish Coulee Dam, and the canals connecting these taxonomist Dr. Christopher Taylor with voucher systems might facilitate the dispersal of O. virilis specimens deposited at the Illinois Natural History in an otherwise arid environment. Survey, Champaign, Illinois. Specimens from all Relative to other widely introduced crayfishes additional sites were identified by the authors and such as the red swamp crayfish (Procambarus deposited at the Washington Department of Fish clarkii) and rusty crayfish (Orconectes rusticus), and Wildlife, Olympia, Washington. the ecological and economic impacts of O. virilis Uncertainty remains as to the source, extent of are poorly known (Hobbs et al. 1989, McCarthy current distribution, and potential impacts of O. et al. 2006). Among the most common concerns virilis in the Columbia River basin. Release of live related to crayfish introductions is the tendency bait by anglers is a common pathway for crayfish of non-native crayfish to displace native crayfish introductions (DiStefano et al. 2009), and may be through mechanisms such as competition or disease relevant in this case due to popular warmwater sport transmission, leading to range contractions and fisheries in the Columbia River basin. Presently, occasional extinctions (Bouchard 1977, Lodge et crayfish can not be legally bought or transported for al. 2000). The distribution and population status of fishing bait in Washington, which should slow the Washington’s only native crayfish, the signal cray- spread of O. virilis in the region. Other pathways fish (Pacifastacus leniusculus), is poorly known for O. virilis introduction such as stocking for in the Columbia River basin, but P. leniusculus aquaculture or wild harvest and release or escape has been infrequently collected from those sites of aquarium pets and laboratory organisms are occupied by O. virilis. The potential risk posed to also possible (Lodge et al. 2000, Larson and Olden P. leniusculus conservation by O. virilis requires 2008). Established O. virilis populations are likely additional investigation.

Northwest Science Notes: Orconectes virilis in the Columbia River Basin 109 Figure 1. Known occurrences (stars) of Orconectes virilis in Washington State, with the Columbia River basin delineated by gray shading. Two occurrences for O. virilis from western Washington lakes (Ballinger, Spanaway) are also provided from Larson and Olden (2008). Crayfish from a third western Washington lake (Big) that was reported to contain O. virilis in Larson and Olden (2008) have recently (October 2009) been identified as Orconectes sanbornii, a species native to the Ohio River basin in the eastern U.S. This identification was confirmed by crayfish taxonomist Dr. Christopher Taylor and O. sanbornii specimens from Big Lake have been deposited at the Illinois Natural History Survey, Champaign, IL.

Orconectes virilis may also affect fish popula- Acknowledgements tions through competition for food, predation on We graciously thank Ernie Buchanan (private eggs, and modification of habitat via consump- citizen), Dennis Clay (private citizen), Monte tion of macrophyte beds (Chambers et al. 1990, Miller (Confederated Colville Tribes), and Wash- Dorn and Wojdak 2004, Carpenter 2005). The ington Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel increasing accumulation of invasive species in Matthew Howell, Bob Jateff, Mike Schmuck and the Columbia River basin has been identified as Guy Wiest for collecting crayfish specimens. a threat to the persistence of Endangered Species Dr. Christopher Taylor (Illinois Natural His- Act-listed salmon runs (Sanderson et al. 2009), tory Survey) provided assistance with specimen and crayfish should not be exempted from these identifications. ERL was supported during this concerns. The Pacific Northwest remains largely work by an ARCS (Achievement Rewards for uninvaded by crayfish relative to many regions College Scientists) Foundation scholarship and of the world (Hobbs et al. 1989, Taylor 2007), a Nancy Weller Memorial scholarship from the and there are ecological and economic benefits Washington State Lake Protection Association. to preventing further introduction and spread of This manuscript benefited from the comments and crayfish in this region. recommendations of two anonymous reviewers.

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Received 4 September 2009 Accepted for publication 21 October 2009

Northwest Science Notes: Orconectes virilis in the Columbia River Basin 111