Crayfish or crawfish are various crustaceans allied to and resembling the lobsters, of the order Decapoda. The common crayfish (Astacus fluviatilis) is also known as the river lobster which resembles the lobster in appearance and habits. It inhabits the fresh waters of Europe and the north of Asia, and is common in some of the streams of England and Ireland, but not of Scotland. It lurks under stones or in holes in the banks. Its food consists of small molluscs or fishes, the larvae of insects, and almost any sort of animal matter. Crayfish are found in fresh waters of all continents except Africa and range from two centimetres to forty centimetres in length, depending on the species.
In the United States crayfish of the genus Astacus and Cambarus occur. Some of them by their burrowing habits injure mill-dams and the levees of the Mississippi. Crayfish are regarded by many as furnishing a delicate dish for the table. The term crayfish or crawfish, especially the latter form, is also applied to the spiny lobster, Palinurus vulgaris, a large marine crustacean wanting the large claws of the lobster; often eaten in the south and west of England. Research Crayfish
In Roman mythology, Palinurus was the pilot of AEneas on his voyage from Troy to Italy. He was said to have fallen into the sea off the coast of Lucania. Research Palinurus
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Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Crayfish
