Notes from the field: Dante in the Ozarks

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Processing Cambarus tartarus
'I have been working for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service doing bioinventory work in Ozark caves.  I have attached a few images of some of the subterranean wildlife that we have encountered.  One of my jobs is to perform Ozark Blind Cave Fish (Amblyopsis rosae) surveys in known localities for USFWS.
Amblyopsis rosae juvenile
This species is a federally listed endangered species endemic to the Ozark Plateau Ecoregion.  I observed a baby Amblyopsis and have attached an image of it.  We also surveyed state listed endangered cave crayfish (Cambarus tartarus and C. subterraneus) for the state of Oklahoma.  We managed to get the highest count ever recorded for a population of C. tartarus…a whopping 37 individuals.  The count was exciting because we found babies – the population is reproducing!  The last day of the cave work was spent looking at what may be a new species of blind cave fish in Arkansas.  Very exciting field work!' — Danté Fenolio, Ph.D.
Crosbyella
Litocampa dipluran
Dante and team netting cave crayfish

Stygobromus sp.

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