Ecology: Procambarus alleni inhabit a wide range of ephemeral and permanent wetlands, including prairie marshes, flood plains, road side ditches, and small streams (Hobbs 1942; Hendrix et al. 1998). Although P. alleni have been collected from flowing waters, their habitat preference appears to be temporary, freshwater bodies of water that are still or very sluggish, or littoral zones that periodically desiccate due to seasonal droughts (Hobbs 1942; Hendrix et al. 1998; Dorn and Volin 2009). This crayfish typically occupies freshwater systems, but they have been collected from waterways with salinities as high as 18 parts per thousand (ppt) (Hendrix et al. 1998). During the rainy season (summer and fall), P. alleni inhabit inundated shorelines, where dense vegetation limits predation by fishes and conspecifics (Jordan et al. 1996; Hendrix et al. 1998). Procambarus alleni commonly co-occur with Procambarus fallax during periods of inundation; however, during droughts the two species are partitioned based on hydrologic conditions. During the dry season (winter and spring), while P. fallax continues to occupy areas that remain flooded, P. alleni seeks refuge in burrows (Hobbs 1942; Hendrix et al. 1998). Procambarus alleni constructs and utilizes burrows during droughts and reproductive periods (Hobbs 1942; Hendrix et al. 1998). The entrance of P. alleni burrows can often be identified through conspicuous mounds or chimneys constructed from excavated materials (Hendrix et al. 1998). P. alleni is capable of burrowing effectively in peat, marl, and sand substrates, but its resilience to desiccation varies depending on the substrate composition (Dorn and Volin 2009). P. alleni may remain in their burrows for months to avoid desiccation and to reproduce (Hobbs 1942; Hendrix et al. 1998).
The life cycle of P. alleni follows that of most Procambarids (Hobbs, 1942; Hendrix et al. 1998). Like P. clarkii, P. alleni mature at approximately one year of age. The mean size of reproductively active males was reported as 29.3 mm in CL, but this varied from 19.2-38.9 mm CL. The mean size at maturity for females excavated in the same study was estimated to be 27.9 mm CL, varying from 18.2 to 34.4 mm CL. Oviposition occurs while individuals are burrowed during the dry season (Hendrix et al. 1998). The young hatch within the burrow, and like other procambarids, P. alleni undergo a period in which newly hatched young stay attached to the female's pleopods. Reflooding of the littoral zone brings crayfish to the surface with the young still attached. While the duration of attachment varies, the hatched young appear to recruit to the population by the following summer (Hendrix et al. 1998).
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