Ovirilis.jpg The Northern Crayfish, Orconectes virilis.  This is a female taken from Rocheport Cave (Boone Cave) in Boone Co.  It was collected by Elliott on 9/14/02 inside the cave.  This may be one of the first reports for this species to be found in Missouri caves.  However, Gardner (1986) lists the species O. nias from one cave in Boone Co. and one cave in Washington Co., but then states that Hobbs believes these to be O. virilis.  Hobbs (1974) did not include Missouri in the range of O. nais, and  Bouchard and Robison (1980) suggested that collections of O. nais in the Ozarks are O. virilis.  Pflieger (1996) considers all O. nais localities to be O. virilis, and does not include O. nais in the Missouri crayfish fauna.  Photographed and identified by Mike Slay.  Photographed using a Nikon Digital E950 mounted on a tripod. 
Ovirilis4.JPG The Northern Crayfish, Orconectes virilis.  This is a female taken from Rocheport Cave (Boone Cave) in Boone Co.  It was collected by Elliott on 9/14/02 inside the cave.  This may be one of the first reports for this species to be found in Missouri caves.  However, Gardner (1986) lists the species O. nias from one cave in Boone Co. and one cave in Washington Co., but then states that Hobbs believes these to be O. virilis.  Hobbs (1974) did not include Missouri in the range of O. nais, and  Bouchard and Robison (1980) suggested that collections of O. nais in the Ozarks are O. virilis.  Pflieger (1996) considers all O. nais localities to be O. virilis, and does not include O. nais in the Missouri crayfish fauna.  Photographed and identified by Mike Slay.  Photographed using a Nikon Digital E950 mounted on a tripod. 
Ovirilis3.JPG The Northern Crayfish, Orconectes virilis.  This is a female taken from Rocheport Cave (Boone Cave) in Boone Co.  It was collected by Elliott on 9/14/02 inside the cave.  This may be one of the first reports for this species to be found in Missouri caves.  However, Gardner (1986) lists the species O. nias from one cave in Boone Co. and one cave in Washington Co., but then states that Hobbs believes these to be O. virilis.  Hobbs (1974) did not include Missouri in the range of O. nais, and  Bouchard and Robison (1980) suggested that collections of O. nais in the Ozarks are O. virilis.  Pflieger (1996) considers all O. nais localities to be O. virilis, and does not include O. nais in the Missouri crayfish fauna.  Photographed and identified by Mike Slay.  Photographed using a Nikon Digital E950 mounted on a tripod. 
Ovirilis2.JPG The Northern Crayfish, Orconectes virilis.  This is a female taken from Rocheport Cave (Boone Cave) in Boone Co.  It was collected by Elliott on 9/14/02 inside the cave.  This may be one of the first reports for this species to be found in Missouri caves.  However, Gardner (1986) lists the species O. nias from one cave in Boone Co. and one cave in Washington Co., but then states that Hobbs believes these to be O. virilis.  Hobbs (1974) did not include Missouri in the range of O. nais, and  Bouchard and Robison (1980) suggested that collections of O. nais in the Ozarks are O. virilis.  Pflieger (1996) considers all O. nais localities to be O. virilis, and does not include O. nais in the Missouri crayfish fauna.  Photographed and identified by Mike Slay.  Photographed using a Nikon Digital E950 mounted on a tripod. 
Ovirilis1.jpg The Northern Crayfish, Orconectes virilis.  This is a female taken from Rocheport Cave (Boone Cave) in Boone Co.  It was collected by Elliott on 9/14/02 inside the cave.  This may be one of the first reports for this species to be found in Missouri caves.  However, Gardner (1986) lists the species O. nias from one cave in Boone Co. and one cave in Washington Co., but then states that Hobbs believes these to be O. virilis.  Hobbs (1974) did not include Missouri in the range of O. nais, and  Bouchard and Robison (1980) suggested that collections of O. nais in the Ozarks are O. virilis.  Pflieger (1996) considers all O. nais localities to be O. virilis, and does not include O. nais in the Missouri crayfish fauna.  Photographed and identified by Mike Slay.  Photographed using a Nikon Digital E950 mounted on a tripod. 
RocheportCaveGateFinal26.JPG Rocheport (Boone) Cave, Boone Co., MO. The world's largest cave gate, completed July 3, 2002, weighs 24 tons and measures 84 ft. wide by about 25 ft. high. It protects Gray bats, Myotis grisescens, in the summer, and Indiana bats, Myotis sodalis, in the winter. John George, Julie Fleming and Paul McKenzie at the gate. By William R. Elliott, July 15, 2002.