A Guide to Australia's Spiny Freshwater Crayfish

Download or read book A Guide to Australia's Spiny Freshwater Crayfish written by Robert B McCormack and published by CSIRO PUBLISHING. This book was released on 2012-07-18 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Referred to as the 'Spiny Crayfishes' due to impressive arrays of spines on their hard armoured shells, Euastacus crayfish are the largest of the 10 genera of Australian freshwater crayfish. This book discusses 50 species found in Australia, from the iconic giant Murray lobster that is fished by recreational fishers, to the exceedingly rare and tiny species Euastacus maidae. These uniquely Australian species range from Cooktown in far north Queensland to Wilsons Promontory in Victoria. Many are found in or around our major population areas. The book discusses basic crayfish anatomy, moulting and growth, morphology, breeding, threats and diseases. It includes colour photographs for each species, as well as a glossary and further reading list. A Guide to Australia’s Spiny Freshwater Crayfish will be of interest to researchers, conservationists, land managers, libraries and crayfish enthusiasts.