The invasive Australian redclaw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus Von Martens, 1868: a new threat for biodiversity in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, Central Mexican Plateau

The invasive Australian redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) has a long history of introduction in Mexico. Since its introduction in 1986 for aquaculture production purposes, it has been cultured in several regions of the country without considering the probability of accidental escapes and the threat to biodiversity. Here the presence of the Australian redclaw crayfish is reported for the first time in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve (SGBR), which harbors vast biodiversity in biological groups and ecosystems. Six males and one ovate female with a maximum total cephalothorax length of 73.7 mm and a weight of 66.7 g were collected. The presence of reproductively active individuals in this Protected Natural Area represents a new record of this invasive species in Mexico that adds to the list of non-native species within the SGBR. It also means a potential threat to the native aquatic biodiversity of the SGBR, given the resistance and dispersal capacity of this invasive species and the potential negative impacts on the ecosystem. A better understanding of the distribution and invasion dynamics of the redclaw crayfish is required to evaluate and develop management strategies to reduce its spread and potential impacts within the SGBR.