Crayfish are freshwater crustaceans belonging to the clade Astacidea, which also contains lobsters. In some locations, they are also known as baybugs, crabfish, craws, crawfish, crawdaddies, crawdads, freshwater lobsters, mountain lobsters, mudbugs, rock lobsters, signal crawfish, or yabbies. Taxonomically, they are members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea. They breathe through feather-like gills. Some species are found in brooks and streams, where fresh water is running, while others thrive in swamps, ditches, and paddy fields. Most crayfish cannot tolerate polluted water, although some species, such as Procambarus clarkii, are hardier. Crayfish feed on animals and plants, either living or decomposing, and detritus.
Lake Taupō is a large crater lake in New Zealand's North Island, located in the caldera of Taupō Volcano. The lake is the namesake of the town of Taupō, which sits on a bay in the lake's northeastern shore. With a surface area of 616 km2 (238 sq mi), it is the largest lake by surface area in New Zealand, and the second largest freshwater lake by surface area in geopolitical Oceania after Lake Murray in Papua New Guinea. Motutaiko Island lies in the southeastern area of the lake.
Jasus edwardsii, the southern rock lobster, red rock lobster, or spiny rock lobster, is a species of spiny lobster found throughout coastal waters of southern Australia and New Zealand including the Chatham Islands. It is commonly called crayfish in Australia and New Zealand and kōura in Māori. They resemble lobsters, but lack the large characteristic pincers on the first pair of walking legs.
The Parastacidae are the family of freshwater crayfish found in the Southern Hemisphere. The family is a classic Gondwana-distributed taxon, with extant members in South America, Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea, and extinct taxa also in Antarctica.
Paranephrops is a genus of freshwater crayfish found only in New Zealand. They are known by the English common names freshwater crayfish and koura, the latter from their Māori name of kōura. The two species are the northern koura, Paranephrops planifrons, found mainly in the North Island, but also in Marlborough, Nelson, and the West Coast of the South Island, and the southern koura, Paranephrops zealandicus, found only in the eastern and southern of the South Island and on Stewart Island/Rakiura. Both species are a traditional food for Māori, and a small koura aquaculture industry supplies the restaurant market.
Paranephrops zealandicus or southern koura is a species of southern crawfish in the family Parastacidae. It is found in New Zealand.
Astacoides is a genus of freshwater crayfish endemic to Madagascar. The first specimens were brought to Europe in 1839, and seven species are now recognised, most of which are considered as threatened on the IUCN Red List. They are large and slow-growing, and are threatened by habitat loss, overexploitation by local people and by spread of introduced non-indigenous marbled crayfish. They are only found in a relatively small part of the island, mostly in undisturbed upland areas. They belong to the Gondwana-distributed family Parastacidae, but their nearest relatives live in Australasia, there being no native crayfish in mainland Africa or India.
Cambarus bouchardi, the Big South Fork crayfish, is a species of crayfish in the family Cambaridae. It is found in North America.
Cambarus chaugaensis, the Chauga crayfish or Chauga River crayfish is a species of crayfish in the family Cambaridae. It is endemic to the Carolinas in the United States of America. The common and scientific names refer to the Chauga River of South Carolina, where the first specimens were collected.
Cambarus coosawattae, the Coosawattae crayfish, is a species of crayfish in the family Cambaridae. It is endemic to Georgia. The common name refers to the Coosawattee River, with the original specimens being collected in the Cartecay River which combines with another river to form the Coosawattee.
Cambarus howardi, the Chattahoochee crayfish, is a species of crayfish in the family Cambaridae. It is found in North America. The common name refers to the Chattahoochee River, where the first specimens were collected.
Cambarus scotti, the Chattooga River Crayfish, is a species of crayfish in the family Cambaridae. It is endemic to Alabama and Georgia. The common name refers to the Chattooga River. The original specimens were collected from Clarks Creek in Chattooga County.
Distocambarus youngineri, the Newberry burrowing crayfish, is a species of crayfish in the family Cambaridae. It is endemic to South Carolina. The common name refers to Newberry county, where the original specimens were found.
Euastacus crassus is a species of southern crayfish in the family Parastacidae. It is commonly known as the Alpine spiny crayfish.
Euastacus setosus is a species of southern crawfish in the family Parastacidae.
Fallicambarus harpi, the Ouachita burrowing crayfish, is a species of crayfish in the family Cambaridae. It is known only in southwest Arkansas. The species is a primary burrower, located in low lying seepage areas in pastures, yards and lawns.
Fallicambarus petilicarpus, the slenderwrist burrowing crayfish, is a species of crayfish in the family Cambaridae. It is found in southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana.
Faxonius erichsonianus is a species in the family Cambaridae ("crayfishes"), in the order Decapoda. A common name for Faxonius erichsonianus is reticulate crayfish. Faxonius erichsonianus is found in the south eastern United States of America.
Procambarus acutus, the white river crayfish, is a species of crayfish in the family Cambaridae. It is found in North America and Europe.
Samastacus is a genus of southern crayfish in the family Parastacidae. It has a single species, Samastacus spinifrons.
