Austropotamobius pallipes

Austropotamobius pallipes
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Crustacea
Class:	Malacostraca
Order:	Decapoda
Superfamily:	Astacoidea
Family:	Astacidae
Genus:	Austropotamobius
Species:	A. pallipes
Binomial name
Austropotamobius pallipes (Lereboullet, 1858)

Austropotamobius pallipes is a vulnerable ^[1] European freshwater crayfish, and the only species of crayfish native to the British Isles ^[2]. Its common names include white-clawed crayfish and Atlantic stream crayfish. It is found from the Balkan Peninsula to Spain and reaches its northerly limit in Great Britain and Ireland, where it also has its greatest population density.

A. pallipes is an olive-brown colour, with pale-coloured undersides to the claws (whence the specific epithet pallipes, meaning "pale-footed"). It may grow to 12 cm (5 inches) long, although sizes below 10 cm are more common. It typically lives in rivers and streams about 1 metre deep, where it hides among rocks and submerged logs, emerging to forage for food, and also in lakes.

The distribution of A. pallipes is rapidly shrinking and in Great Britain it is now more or less restricted to central and northern England and eastern Wales, though there is a regionally significant population in the River Frome in South Gloucestershire and Bristol ^[3], and a population has been discovered in Essex ^[4]. There is also a population in Candover Brook, a tributary of the River Itchen in Hampshire ^[5]. However, it was once found across most of England and Wales.

One of the major reasons for this decline is the introduction of the invasive North American signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus). The signal crayfish is a carrier of crayfish plague, an infectious disease to which it has resistance while the native crayfish have none. The British species is also sensitive to many kinds of pollution, such as insecticides.

Little Chris the Crayfish was created by the viewers of Springwatch to raise awareness of this priority species. They created a fan club on the BBC messageboards that was in conjunction with the 2009 series of Springwatch and centered around the character and a webcam. A White-Clawed Crayfish had been spotted on the webcam that personified the character. The fan club gained fame when mentioned on the spin off series, Springwatch Unsprung.  The club has its own merchandising campaign that features badges, newspapers, certificates and much more, all for free. The aim of the campaign is to give members these free 'goodies' to hand out and recruit new members.  A book is to be released featuring part of the thread from the humorous messageboards, as well as stories from users and serious messages. It is hoped that through this book the fan base will grow, awareness will be raised, and the species will survive.  

Austropotamobius pallipes is the only species of crayfish found in Ireland, occurring over limestone areas inhabiting rivers, streams, canals and lakes. They are absent from the more acidic waters of the west. (Souty-Grosset.C et al. p40 2006^[6]). They occur in streams with a moderate flow alongside other freshwater invertebrates such as caddis fly, mayfly and mollusc species. Trout and 3 Spined Stickleback also occur in the same habitat. Tree roots, rocks in the banks provide shelter. Juvenile species shelter in vegetation such as watercress and grass mats growing out of the bank.

References