A Guide to Australia's Spiny Freshwater Crayfish

Freshwater crayfish of Australia

Freshwater crayfish belong to the phylum Arthropoda and subphylum Crustacea, along with prawns and crabs. Crustaceans are closely related to insects, and have been around for at least 500 million years. The oldest records of fossilised crayfish are 285-million-year-old claws found in Antarctica. Opalised fossil gastroliths 110 million years old have been found in New South Wales, and Aborigines have been catching crayfish in Australia for 26 000 years.

Arthropoda represents 85% of all known creatures, and includes four living subphyla: Chelicerata contains the spiders and scorpions; Myriapoda includes the centipedes and millipedes; Crustacea contains shrimp and crayfish; and Hexapoda includes the insects. These are all creatures with an exoskeleton. The three most important features that identify arthropods are the tough exoskeleton, a series of jointed appendages, and a segmented body.

Simplified tree of life

Across the world there are three families of freshwater crayfish, but only one, the Parastacidae, is found in Australia.

All freshwater crayfish belong to the class Malacostraca, the subclass Eumalacostraca, the superorder Eucarida, the order Decapoda, the suborder Pleocyemata and the infraorder Astacidea.

The infraorder Astacidea is divided into two superfamilies (Astacoidea and Parastacoidea). Astacoidea is restricted to the northern hemisphere, and Parastacoidea is restricted to the southern hemisphere. Parastacoidea contains one family, the Parastacidae. All southern hemisphere crayfish belong to this family, with representatives being found in Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Madagascar and South America.

In Australia, there are currently 137 named species and numerous more requiring formal scientific description.

In Australia, 10 different genera of freshwater crayfish are known:

Astacopsis – 3 species

Cherax – 26 species with 4 others under investigation

Engaeus – 35 species

Engaewa – 5 species with 2 others under investigation

Euastacus – 50 species with 4 others under investigation

Geocharax – 2 species

Gramastacus – 1 species with 2 others under investigation

Ombrastacoides – 11 species

Spinastacoides – 3 species

Tenuibranchiurus – 1 species with several others under investigation

Each crayfish has a scientific name composed of two parts, the genus name and the species name. The most common and best-known species of freshwater crayfish in Australia is the yabby, scientifically known as Cherax destructor. When you write this name the genus name Cherax always starts with a capital and the species name destructor is always in lower case. As a rule, genus and species names are shown in italics.

Scientific names rather than common names will be used to identify crayfish species in this book. The most commonly used names of crayfish are included in this guide, but caution needs to be taken in using them. A mass of different common names are used for our freshwater crayfish. Some of these are crawchies, craybobs, craynabs, lobsters and crays. The term ‘yabby’ refers to the species Cherax destructor, but often nowadays it is used by many people for any crayfish in Australia. What name one person uses for a crayfish in one area may be different just down the road. The Lamington spiny crayfish is a well recognised common name and refers to Euastacus sulcatus, found in Lamington National Park, Queensland, a high-profile tourist destination. Yet the species is found over a wide area of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales where it is known as the mountain crayfish or the skeletal crayfish – three different names in different areas for the same crayfish species.

A list of all the species of freshwater crayfish currently described from Australia in 2012 is presented in Table 1. This list will change as new species are discovered. For the latest list that is constantly updated, go online to .

Australian Crayfish Project volunteers Rob McCormack (left), Paul Van der Werf (centre) and Jason Coughran (right), Mistake Mountains, Queensland

Table 1 Freshwater crayfish species list 2012

Genus Euastacus

Clark 1936

A least 50 species of Euastacus are known. These crayfish are endemic to the eastern states of Australia and are distributed from Cooktown in far north Queensland to Wilsons Promontory in Victoria, the southernmost point of the Australian mainland. Known as the ‘spiny crays’ they include some huge species known as giant spiny crayfish that grow to over a kilogram in weight and are covered in long sharp spines. Euastacus crayfish also generate a ‘wow’ factor, as many are extremely colourful – there are the vivid whites of Euastacus armatus, the bright greens and reds of Euastacus spinifer, the reds and yellows of Euastacus australasiensis, and the vivid blues and white of Euastacus sulcatus.

Ellen Clark erected the genus Euastacus in 1936 for six species: E. serratus, E. hirsutus, E. yarraensis, E. nobilis, E. kershawi and E. fleckeri. The next major work was by Edgar Riek, who revised the genus in 1969, recognising 31 species. In 1977, Ronald Munroe described Euastacus robertsi from far north Queensland. More recently, Gary Morgan, in 1986, 1988, 1989, 1997, completely revised the genus. His comprehensive reviews and taxonomic descriptions of all known Euastacus at that time, including the description of 17 new species, led to 41 known species. Morgan’s work has been the foundation for all future research on these amazing spiny crayfish. Since Gary’s inspiring work, another nine species have been described by Short and Davie (1993), Coughran (2002, 2005), Coughran and Leckie (2007), McCormack and Coughran (2008) and Coughran and McCormack (2011), with more awaiting formal description. At the time of publication, 50 species have been formally described and another four new species are awaiting description. There is little doubt that many more will be discovered as research continues.

Identification of Crayfish

The first step is to determine if you have an Euastacus. For all Euastacus species this is very easy. Look at the base of the claws: if they are smooth they are Cherax or something else; if spiny then you have an Euastacus species. Note: Even the smallest specimens can be identified by running your fingernail along the surface to determine if smooth or serrated.

Identification of crayfish

The first step is to determine if you have an Euastacus species. For all Euastacus species this is very easy. Look at the base or bottom of the claws: if they are smooth they are Cherax or something else; if spiny then you have a Euastacus species. Note that even the smallest specimens can be identified by running your fingernail along the surface to determine if it is smooth or serrated.

All Euastacus species have a set of spines along the base of the chelae or claws, making recognition easy. These lateral propodal spines readily distinguish the genus from the other mainland genera – Cherax, Geocharax, Gramastacus, Tenuibranchiurus and Engaeus – which are smooth. Euastacus crayfish generally prefer cool, clear, flowing water, but a number of species occur in other habitats. They are relatively slow-growing crayfish, and usually breed once a year with generally relatively low numbers of eggs per female. They are, however, very long lived, with long reproductive lives.

Although Euastacus are referred to as spiny crays, the extent of spination varies considerably between species. For the purposes of this field guide, the species of Euastacus are grouped pragmatically along some broad ecological and morphological lines, creating three main groupings: giant spiny crayfish, intermediate crayfish and dwarf crayfish. This grouping aims to allow people to find the species in each group more easily, and assists catchment managers to assess the biological requirements of each species in the group more easily and thus assists conservation management of these species.

Giant spiny crayfish Euastacus spinifer, Gosford, New South Wales (large size with lots of large sharp abdominal spines)

Intermediate spiny crayfish Euastacus woiwuru, Powelltown, Victoria (medium size with few smaller abdominal spines)

Dwarf spiny crayfish Euastacus setosus, Mt Glorious, Queensland (small size with few small abdominal spines and generally more hairs)

Giant spiny crayfish

Giant spiny crayfish are the larger species, with numerous large spikes and spines. The adults generally inhabit the main creeks, streams and rivers in permanent water or prime habitat areas. They wander the creeks during the day, being an active diurnal species as well as nocturnal (all except E. sulcatus, which is strictly diurnal). Giant spinies are predatory species that range widely in the search of food, and they can be the dominant predator within their stream environment. They have rudimentary burrows, and generally a mature adult will emit a hissing sound when removed from the water.

Main features of adults

Found in larger streams and rivers and prefer permanent water.

Generally large (over 75 mm OCL), dominant species, size offers protection in high predator areas.

Mostly 2, sometimes 3, mesial carpal spines.

Numerous large, sharp spines (offer protection from a vast range of species).

Very well-developed lateral propodal spine rows, both dorsal and ventral, on the claws.

Very large ventral carpal spine, smaller ventromesial spines on the carpus.

Large thoracic spines (all except E. sulcatus).

Large size and number of abdominal spines.

Adults are poor burrowers (in generally permanently wet areas so deep burrows not required; large spines are not suitable for burrows). Tend to use available shelter and traditional burrows.

Prefer flooded burrow systems.

Prefer permanent water or permanent wet areas (the prime habitat locations).

Generally, hiss (loud and noisy, a defence mechanism for overland travel, similar to the aggressive response a snake will give).

Predatory species (active hunters with a preference for a high protein diet).

Aggressive species (rapid attack response to any and all threats).

Dominant species in most systems.

Active during the day (larger spinies have few predators and generally can be found wandering creeks during the day, due to prolonged feeding and distances travelled and huge food resources available).

Also active at night (except E. sulcatus).

Active overland hunters and travellers, moving long distances from the stream through the dry forest.

Male cuticle partition present or absent.

Main features of juveniles

Few spines.

Strong burrowers, relying on burrows for protection.

Juveniles have white stripes or bands on abdominal somites 1 and 6.

Forced to the periphery of main streams, in the shallow rapids, marginal shallows and tributary streams by cannibalistic adults and numerous predators in adult habitat areas.

Juvenile giant spiny crayfish have the white strips or bands on abdominal somites 1 and 6

A giant spiny crayfish, Euastacus valentulus, Nightcap National Park, New South Wales

Intermediate spiny crayfish

Intermediate spiny crayfish are generally medium in size and features, with smaller numbers of small to medium spines. The adults generally inhabit the smaller main streams and creeks but have greater burrow systems; the adults gurgle instead of hissing. Their streams may also not be permanent and they may survive extended periods in their burrow systems. These are crepuscular to nocturnal species that will venture out during the day if enticed by food.

Main features of adults

An intermediate spiny crayfish, Euastacus claytoni, Bendock, Victoria

Found in medium-sized streams and creeks, not always permanently flowing.

Intermediate in size, under 75 mm OCL.

Mostly 3, sometimes 2–4, mesial carpal spines.

Few sharp spines.

Intermediate developed lateral propodal spine row, both lateral and ventral, on