In July, DNR’s Freshwater Biodiversity Program staff found a virile crayfish, an invasives species, in a Lake Lanier tributary.
Although there was an unconfirmed sighting Faxonius virilis in the state in 2015, this first documented occurrence of virile crayfish will spur work to gauge the abundance and spread of the crustaceans native to the Great Lakes, the Midwest and upper Mississippi River drainages.
The virile crayfish discovered in Georgia (Tiffany Penland/GaDNR)
Invasive crayfish can disrupt ecosystems and threaten native wildlife. Virile crayfish introductions have been tied to declines in aquatic plants, fish and macroinvertebrates.
Please report sightings, with photographs, to tiffany.penland@dnr.ga.gov.