John Cooper

Curator of Crustaceans

John.Cooper@ncdenr.gov
919.733.7450 x752

Ph.D. (Zoology, ecology), University of Kentucky, 1975
M.S. (Zoology), University of Kentucky, 1968
B.A. (Biological science; minor in literature and writing), 1957, Johns Hopkins University

Research Interests

Research focus is on taxonomy and systematics of freshwater crayfish, with current emphasis on descriptions of new species from the southeastern United States, particularly North Carolina. A monograph on crayfishes of North and South Carolina, including species accounts, distribution maps, and illustrations, is in preparation.

Recent Publications

Taylor, C. A., G. A. Schuster, J. E. Cooper, R. J. DiStefano, A. G. Eversole, P. Hamr, H. H. Hobbs III, H. W. Robison, C. E. Skelton, and R. F. Thoma. 2007. A reassessment of the conservation status of crayfishes of the United Statesand Canada after 10+ years of increased awareness. Fisheries 32(8):372-389.

Cooper, J. E., and S. A. Armstrong. 2007. Locality records and other data for invasive crayfishes (Decapoda: Cambaridae) in North Carolina. Journal of the North Carolina Academy of Science 123(1):1-13.

Cooper, J. E. 2006. A new species of crayfish of the genus Cambarus Erichson,
1846 (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from the eastern Blue Ridge foothills and western Piedmont Plateau of North Carolina. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 119(1):67-80.

Cooper, J. E. 2006. A new crayfish of the genus Cambarus Erichson, 1846, subgenus Puncticambarus Hobbs, 1969 (Decapoda: Cambaridae), from the Hiwassee River basin of North Carolina. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 119(1)81-90.

Cooper, J. E., and D. G. Cooper. 2003. A new crayfish of the genus Cambarus Erichson, 1846 (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from the Cape Fear River basin in the Sandhills of North Carolina. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 116(4):920-932.

Cooper, J. E., and C. E. Skelton. 2003. A new burrowing crayfish of the genus Cambarus Erichson, 1846 (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from the lower Flint River basin in the Dougherty Plain of Georgia, with notes on C. (D.) harti Hobbs, 1981. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 116(3):827-838.

Cooper, J. E. 2002. North Carolina crayfishes (Decapoda: Cambaridae): notes on distribution, taxonomy, life history, and habitat. Journal of the North Carolina Academy of Science 118(3):167-180.

Cooper, J. E., and K. A. Schofield. 2002. Cambarus (Jugicambarus) tuckasegee, a new species of crayfish (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from the Little Tennessee River basin, North Carolina. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 115(2):371-381.

Cooper, J. E. 2001. Cambarus (Puncticambarus) hobbsorum, a new crayfish (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from North Carolina. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 114(1):152-161.

Cooper, J. E. 2000. A new species of crayfish of the genus Cambarus, subgenus Cambarus (Decapoda: Cambaridae), from the Broad River basin of North Carolina. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 116(1):1-12.

Cooper, J. E. 2000. Cambarus (Cambarus) davidi, a new species of crayfish (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from North Carolina. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 113(2)431-442.

Cooper, J. E. 1998. A new species of crayfish of the genus Procambarus, subgenus Ortmannicus (Decapoda: Cambaridae), from the Waccamaw River basin, North and South Carolina. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 111(1):81-91.

Cooper, J. E., A. L. Braswell, and C. McGrath. 1998. Noteworthy distributional records for crayfishes (Decapoda: Cambaridae) in North Carolina. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 114(1):1-10.

Selected Past Publications

Cooper, J. E., and M. R. Cooper. 1997. A new species of troglobitic crayfish of the genus Cambarus, subgenus Aviticambarus (Decapoda: Cambaridae), endemic to White Spring Cave, Alabama. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 110(4):608-616.

Cooper, J. E., and M. R. Cooper. 1997. New troglobitic crayfish of the genus Orconectes, subgenus Orconectes (Decapoda: Cambaridae), endemic to Shelta Cave, Huntsville, Alabama. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies 59(3): 119-127.

1995. Observations on North Carolina crayfishes (Decapoda: Cambaridae). Brimleyana. 22:87–132. (with A L. Braswell)

1995. A new species of crayfish of the genus Orconectes, subgenus Procericambarus (Decapoda: Cambaridae), endemic to the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico river basins, North Carolina. Brimleyana. 23:65–87. (with M.R. Cooper)

1984. Vanishing species: The dilemma of resources without price tags. Pp. 7–32 in A. Norden, et al., eds. Threatened and Endangered Plants and Animals of Maryland. Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis.

1979. The brothers Brimley: North Carolina naturalists. Brimleyana. 1:1–14.

1977. Endangered and Threatened Plants and Animals of North Carolina. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh. 444 pages. (ed., with S.S. Robinson and J.B. Funderburg)

1974. Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni, a new genus and species of subterranean fish from Alabama. Copeia. 1974:486–493. (with R.A. Kuehne)

1972.  The southern cavefish, Typhlichthys subterraneus (Pisces: Amblyopsidae), in the easteren Mississippian Plateau of Kentucky. Copeia. 1972:879–881. (with D.P. Beiter)

Unpublished checklists and keys

The following unpublished checklists and keys, completed by Dr. Cooper, are available online:

Please contact Dr. Cooper for information on obtaining the documents listed below, which are currently not available online.

  • Chronology: Descriptions of North Carolina crayfishes
  • Repositories of primary type specimens of indigenous North Carolina crayfishes, including type localities
  • List of freshwater decapods in the catalogued crustacean collection of the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences
  • Guide to crayfishes of the Cape Fear and Northeast Cape Fear River drainages
  • Guide to crayfishes of the Little Tennessee River basin, North Carolina
  • Guide to crayfishes of the Hiwassee River basin, North Carolina
  • Guide to crayfishes of the Pee Dee River drainage (excluding the Yadkin River basin)
  • Guide to crayfishes of the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River drainages