Misfortunate Crayfish – State Wildlife Action Plan

Overview

Species Common Name Misfortunate Crayfish
Species Scientific Name Pacifastacus malheurensis

Ecoregions

Blue Mountains

Located in NE Oregon, the Blue Mountains ecoregion is the largest ecoregion in the state. It provides a diverse complex of mountain ranges, valleys, and plateaus that extend beyond Oregon into the states of Idaho and Washington.

Northern Basin and Range

The Northern Basin and Range ecoregion covers the very large southeastern portion of the state, from Burns south to the Nevada border and from the Christmas Valley east to Idaho. It is largely a high elevation desert-like area dominated by sagebrush communities and habitats.

Special needs

Newly described species with limited understanding of distribution.

Limiting factors

Population declines and displacement from native habitat due to non-native Rusty Crayfish.

Data gaps

Distribution. Abundance. Long Term monitoring methods.

Conservation actions

Non-Native species management. Prevent further introductions of Rusty Crayfish into isolated populations in Silvies and Donner und Blitzen River

Key reference or plan

Larson et al. 2025. Genome skimming supports two new crayfish species from the genus Pacifastacus Bott, 1950 (Decapoda: Astacidae). Zootaxa 5632 (3):501-521. Read here