![]() ![]() The Virile Crayfish ( Orconectes virilis) is another non-native. It has distinctive large claws and rusty colored spots on the sides of its carapace. One such non-native is the Rusty Crayfish ( Orconectes rusticus), which is native to the Ohio River valley. There are 34 native species of crayfish in Virginia, as well as several non-native species. ![]() Crayfish are a vital element in a healthy ecosystem. They are preyed upon by at least 240 species of animals, including large fish, raccoons and birds such as herons. They also will prey on invertebrates such as aquatic insect larvae and worms, but seldom catch fish. Crayfish are mainly scavengers, feeding on decaying plant and animal material. She is said to be “in berry.” The young crayfish will also ride on her for up to a week before dispersing. When crayfish reproduce, the female carries the 100-500 eggs in her swimmerets, a set of short legs under her tail. Some crayfish shelter under rocks while others burrow into mud near a body of water – sometimes forming distinctive mud “chimneys”. They have a pair of compound eyes on the end of short stalks, a pair of antennae and a pair of antennules (smaller antennae).ĭepending on the species, crayfish can be found in ponds, streams, rivers, marshes, and even drainage ditches. There are numerous feeding appendages around the mouth at the front of the body. They possess a pair of enlarged claws at the front of their body and 4 pairs of walking legs with small claws at the end of each. They breathe through filamentous gills located inside the body at the base of their legs. A crayfish has two main body sections: the cephalothorax and abdomen. Their skin cannot grow with them, so they must periodically molt. Like their cousins the insects, Arthropods are characterized by jointed appendages on a segmented body, which is protected by a hard exoskeleton. It was always rewarding to watch the “miniature lobsters” pick along the bottom, their many legs passing food particles to their mouth, the antennae constantly searching ahead for more food or friend or foe.Ĭrayfish (also called crawfish, crawdads, or mudbugs) belong to the phylum Arthropoda they are crustaceans like crabs and lobsters. While mucking around in local streams as a child, I loved finding crayfish hiding under rocks in the water and bringing them home to observe in an aquarium. ![]()
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