What type of anthropoid is a crayfish?

Answer 1

Crustaceans have five pairs of legs and are mostly aquatic. Most of the crustaceans we are familiar with are marine organisms such as shrimp, crabs, and lobsters. A favorite aquatic crustacean is the crayfish.

Crayfish are found on six of the seven continents of the world. They are known by many names. In the U.S. they are known as crawdads or crawfish. In parts of Europe and Australia, they are referred to as yabbies. No matter where you are from or what you call them, crayfish are intriguing. More than half of the more than 500 species occur in North America, with the majority occurring in Kentucky (Mammoth Cave) and Louisiana. Nearly all crayfish live in freshwater but a few can survive in saltwater.

Crayfish look basically like miniature lobsters and their colors can range from sandy yellow, green, white, pink, red, dark brown, and black. The average length for a mature adult is about 3 inches. Some do get larger than this. One of the smallest occurs in the southeast and measures only about 2.5 centimeters. Crayfish have a complex anatomy consisting of many parts. The head has two pairs of antennae and one pair of movable eyes. Attached to the thorax (middle part of the body) is a pair of claws and four pairs of walking legs. The claws are used for cutting, capturing food, attack, and defense against predators or other crayfish. A pinch to a human finger from a large crayfish can actually draw blood. In addition to their claws and walking legs, crayfish have other leg-like appendages. One group of these appendages is called bailers and they help to cycle water over the crayfish' gills. They also have five pairs of swimmerets underneath their abdomen. Crayfish have the ability to regenerate practically any appendage that gets broken off. They can regrow legs, claws,antennae, even eyes if they happen to get snipped off in a fight. They have a thick exoskeleton that provides protection and allows movement, but limits growth. As the crayfish grows it sheds its exoskeleton in a process known as molting. It then grows a new larger exoskeleton. Shortly after a molt, the new exoskeleton is very soft, making the crayfish much more vulnerable to predators. A crayfish may molt many times in its life. The average crayfish only lives about two years.

Crayfish live in a variety of aquatic habitats including swamps, streams, streams, and lakes. Several species live in streams of caves. Many will burrow into banks. Crayfish will often conceal themselves under rocks or logs to hide from predators or to ambush prey. They are most active at night, feeding on snails, algae, insect larvae, worms, tadpoles, and occasionally minnows. They will also eat decaying plant matter and debris. Studies have shown that older crayfish (one year old) tend to most actively feed from dusk to daybreak, while younger ones are more likely to be out on a bright sunny day. Crayfish generally walk along the bottom as they search for food, but if startled, can rapidly swim backwards using rapid flips of their tails.

Because crayfish are fairly short-lived, they have a high-volume reproduction rate. Crayfish will mate in October or November and the eggs will be laid in the following spring. The female will actually attach the eggs to her swimmerets, use her tail as a protective flap, and carry the eggs around with her until they hatch. A female may lay 10 to 800 dark brown eggs that will become translucent, as they get ready to hatch. When the eggs hatch, the newborn crayfish will remain attached to their mother until after their second molt.

Many different predators prey upon crayfish. Various game fish, particularly smallmouth bass, eat crayfish, as do many birds such as grackles, herons, cormorants and ibis. Raccoons, otters, and minks will also catch and eat crayfish. A lot of traditional Cajun dishes have crayfish as a major ingredient so humans also have an appreciation for these delightful crustaceans.

Crayfish are relatively tolerant of pollution with the exception of chemical pollution, which harms their delicate gills. The water must have plenty of oxygen in order for them to survive. They can survive a wide range of temperatures but are generally more active in warmer waters. As long as there is an adequate food source, crayfish will thrive.

So go out and look in your stream or lakefront area. If the habitat is good, there may be crayfish.

Answer 2

Yes, crayfish are arthropods.