Editing Crayfish (section)

== Classification and geographical distribution ==

{{Multiple image
| header = Three families of crayfish
| width = 220
| direction = vertical
| align = right
| image1 = Austropotamobius pallipes.jpg
| caption1 = [[Astacidae]]: ''[[Austropotamobius pallipes]]''
| image2 = FloridaFlusskrebs.JPG
| caption2 = [[Cambaridae]]: ''[[Procambarus alleni]]''
| image3 = Cherax destructor (Cyan yabby).jpg
| caption3 = [[Parastacidae]]: ''[[Cherax destructor]]''
}}

Crayfish are closely related to [[lobsters]], and together they belong to the [[infraorder]] [[Astacidea]]. Their [[phylogeny]] can be shown in the simplified [[cladogram]] below:<ref name="Wolfe2019">{{cite journal |last1 = Wolfe |first1 = Joanna M. |last2 = Breinholt |first2 = Jesse W. |last3 = Crandall |first3 = Keith A. |last4 = Lemmon |first4 = Alan R. |last5 = Lemmon |first5 = Emily Moriarty |last6 = Timm |first6 = Laura E. |last7 = Siddall |first7 = Mark E. |last8 = Bracken-Grissom |first8 = Heather D. |title = A phylogenomic framework, evolutionary timeline and genomic resources for comparative studies of decapod crustaceans |journal = Proceedings of the Royal Society B |date = 24 April 2019 |volume = 286 |issue = 1901 |doi = 10.1098/rspb.2019.0079 |pmc = 6501934 |pmid = 31014217 |doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name=Crandall2017>{{Cite journal |title = An updated classification of the freshwater crayfishes (Decapoda: Astacidea) of the world, with a complete species list |date = 2017 |last1 = Crandall |first1 = Keith A. |last2 = De Grave |first2 = Sammy |journal = Journal of Crustacean Biology |volume = 37 |issue = 5 |pages = 615–653 |doi = 10.1093/jcbiol/rux070 |doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name="Bracken2014">{{cite journal |author1 = Heather D. Bracken-Grissom |author2 = Shane T. Ahyong |author3 = Richard D. Wilkinson |author4 = Rodney M. Feldmann |author5 = Carrie E. Schweitzer |author6 = Jesse W. Breinholt |author7 = Matthew Bendall |author8 = Ferran Palero |author9 = Tin-Yam Chan |author10=Darryl L. Felder |author11 = Rafael Robles |author12 = Ka-Hou Chu |author13 = Ling-Ming Tsang |author14 = Dohyup Kim |author15 = Joel W. Martin |author16 = Keith A. Crandall |title = The Emergence of Lobsters: Phylogenetic Relationships, Morphological Evolution and Divergence Time Comparisons of an Ancient Group (Decapoda: Achelata, Astacidea, Glypheidea, Polychelida) |journal = [[Systematic Biology]] |date = July 2014 |volume = 63 |issue = 4 |pages = 457–479 |doi = 10.1093/sysbio/syu008 |doi-access = free |pmid = 24562813 }}</ref>
{{clade
 |label1=[[Astacidea]]
 |1={{clade
  |label1=clawed lobsters
  |1={{clade
   |label1=[[Enoplometopoidea]]
   |1=[[Enoplometopidae]]
   |label2=[[Nephropoidea]]
   |2=[[Nephropidae]] }}
  |label2='''crayfish'''
  |2={{clade
   |label1=[[Parastacoidea]]
   |1=[[Parastacidae]]
   |label2=[[Astacoidea]]
   |2={{clade
    |1=[[Cambaroididae]]
    |2={{clade
     |1=[[Astacidae]]
     |2=[[Cambaridae]] }} }} }} }} }}

Four [[extant taxon|extant]] (living) [[family (biology)|families]] of crayfish are described, three in the [[Northern Hemisphere]] and one in the [[Southern Hemisphere]]. The Southern Hemisphere ([[Gondwana]]-distributed) family [[Parastacidae]], with 14 extant genera and two extinct genera, live(d) in [[South America]], [[Madagascar]], and [[Australasia]]. They are distinguished by the absence of the first pair of [[pleopod]]s.<ref>{{cite journal |author = Horton H. Hobbs Jr. |s2cid = 86685246 |author-link = Horton H. Hobbs Jr. |year = 1974 |title = Synopsis of the families and genera of crayfishes (Crustacea: Decapoda) |journal = Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology |volume = 164 |issue = 164 |pages = 1–32 |doi = 10.5479/si.00810282.164 }}</ref> Of the other three Northern Hemisphere families (grouped in the [[superfamily (biology)|superfamily]] [[Astacoidea]]), the four genera of the family [[Astacidae]] live in western [[Eurasia]] and western [[North America]], the 15 genera of the family [[Cambaridae]] live in eastern [[North America]], and the single genus of [[Cambaroididae]] live in eastern [[Asia]].<ref name=Crandall2017/>

=== North America === 

The greatest diversity of crayfish species is found in southeastern North America, with over 330 species in 15 genera, all in the family Cambaridae. A further genus of astacid crayfish is found in the [[Pacific Northwest]] and the headwaters of some rivers east of the [[Continental Divide]]. Many crayfish are also found in lowland areas where the water is abundant in [[calcium]], and oxygen rises from underground springs.<ref>{{cite book |author = Steve Pollock |title = Eyewitness Ecology |location = [[New York City|New York]], [[United States]] |publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]] |year = 2005 |isbn = 978-0-7894-5581-9 |url-access = registration |url = https://archive.org/details/eyewitness00stev }}</ref> Crayfish are also found in some non-coastal wetlands; eight species of crayfish live in [[Iowa]],<ref>{{Cite press release |title=What's a Mudbug? |date=2022-07-12 |publisher=[[Iowa Department of Natural Resources]] |url=https://www.iowadnr.gov/About-DNR/DNR-News-Releases/ArticleID/4127/What-39-s-a-Mudbug}}</ref> for example.

In 1983, [[Louisiana]] designated the crayfish, or crawfish as they are commonly called, as its official state crustacean.<ref name=Profile>{{cite web |url = http://americanprofile.com/articles/the-crawfish-louisianas-state-crustacean/ |title = The Crawfish – Louisiana's State Crustacean |publisher = American Profile |date = 11 August 2002 |access-date = 25 November 2017 }}</ref> Louisiana produces {{convert|100|e6lb|e6kg|abbr=off}} of crawfish per year with the [[Procambarus clarkii|red swamp]] and [[Procambarus zonangulus|white river crawfish]] being the main species harvested.<ref name=SS>{{cite web |url = https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/louisiana/state-fish-aquatic-life-state-food-agriculture-symbol/crawfish |title = Crawfish Louisiana State Crustacean |work = State of Louisiana-Department of Administration |date = 3 June 2014 |access-date = 25 November 2017 }}</ref> Crawfish are a part of [[Cajun]] culture dating back hundreds of years.<ref name=VOA>{{cite web |url = https://www.voanews.com/a/crawfish-deeply-rooted-in-louisiana-culture/3292538.html |title = Crawfish Deeply Rooted in Louisiana Culture |publisher = Voice of America |date = 19 April 2016 |access-date = 25 November 2017 }}</ref> A variety of cottage industries have developed as a result of commercialized crawfish iconography. Their products include crawfish attached to wooden plaques, T-shirts with crawfish logos, and crawfish pendants, earrings, and necklaces made of gold or silver.<ref name=CF>{{cite book |url = https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=uyD9vkhFlDoC |title = Cajun Foodways |last = Gutierrez |first = C. Paige |publisher = University Press of Mississippi |page = 78 |isbn = 9781604736021 |date = 1 January 2012 |access-date = 25 November 2017 }}</ref>

=== Australia ===

[[Australia]] has over 100 species in a dozen [[genus|genera]]. It is home to the world's three largest freshwater crayfish:
* the [[Tasmanian giant freshwater crayfish]] ''Astacopsis gouldi'', which can achieve a mass over {{convert|5|kg|lb|abbr=on}} and is found in rivers of northern [[Tasmania]]<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/lobster.html |title = Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Lobster (''Astacopsis gouldi'') |publisher = [[Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts]] |date = 9 February 2007 |access-date = 16 March 2010 }}</ref>
* the [[Murray crayfish]] ''Euastacus armatus'', which can reach {{convert|2.5|kg|lb|abbr=on}}, although  reports of animals up to {{convert|3|kg|lb|abbr=on}} have been made. It is found in much of the southern [[Murray-Darling basin]].<ref>{{cite web |title = The Murray crayfish – Euastacus armatus as a Vulnerable Species |publisher = NSW Department of Primary Industries |author = Fisheries Scientific Committee |date = 2013 |url = https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/545688/FFRS-89_Gilligan-et-al-2007.pdf |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150401175355/http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/545688/FFRS-89_Gilligan-et-al-2007.pdf |archive-date = 1 April 2015 |url-status = live |access-date = 11 March 2019 }}</ref>
* the [[marron]] from [[Western Australia]] (now believed to be two species, ''[[Cherax tenuimanus]]'' and ''[[Cherax cainii|C. cainii]]'') which may reach {{convert|2.2|kg|lb|abbr=on}}

Many of the better-known Australian crayfish are of the genus ''Cherax'', and include the [[common yabby]] (''C. destructor''), western yabby (''C. preissii''), and [[red-claw crayfish]] (''C. quadricarinatus'').<ref>{{cite journal |url = http://aquanic.org/publicat/usda_rac/efs/srac/244fs.pdf |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050513095955/http://aquanic.org/publicat/usda_rac/efs/srac/244fs.pdf |archive-date = 13 May 2005 |year = 1997 |journal = SRAC Publication |issue = 244 |title = Australian Red Claw Crayfish |author1 = Michael P. Masser |author2 = David B. Rouse }}</ref>

The marron species ''C. tenuimanus'' is [[critically endangered]], while other large Australasian crayfish are threatened or endangered.

=== New Zealand ===

In [[New Zealand]], two species of ''[[Paranephrops]]'' are endemic, and are known by the [[Māori language|Māori]] name ''{{lang|mi|kōura}}''.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.niwa.co.nz/our-science/freshwater/tools/kaitiaki_tools/species/koura |title = Kōura |publisher = [[NIWA]] |access-date = 18 September 2012 |date = 26 May 2009 }}</ref>

=== Other animals === 

In Australia, New Zealand, and [[South Africa]],<ref>{{cite news |url = http://museum.wa.gov.au/explore/articles/lobsters-rock-lobsters-and-crayfish |title = Lobsters, rock lobsters and crayfish |publisher = Western Australian Museum |access-date = 30 November 2019 }}</ref> the term "crayfish" or "cray" generally refers to a saltwater [[spiny lobster]], of the genus ''[[Jasus]]'' that is indigenous to much of southern [[Oceania]],<ref>{{cite journal |doi = 10.1163/156854065X00613 |title = Let's call the spiny lobster "spiny lobster" |author = Harold W. Sims Jr. |journal = [[Crustaceana]] |volume = 8 |issue = 1 |year = 1965 |pages = 109–110 |jstor = 20102626 }}</ref> while the [[freshwater]] species are usually called ''[[Common yabby|yabbies]]'' or ''{{lang|mi|[[Paranephrops|kōura]]}}'', from the [[Indigenous Australian languages|indigenous Australian]] and Māori names for the animal, respectively, or by other names specific to each species. Exceptions include [[Panulirus cygnus|western rock lobster]] (of the [[Palinuridae]] family) found on the west coast of Australia (it is a spiny lobster, but not of ''Jasus)''; the [[Tasmanian giant freshwater crayfish]] (from the [[Parastacidae]] family and therefore a true crayfish) found only in Tasmania; and the [[Murray crayfish]] found along Australia's [[Murray River]].{{Cn|date=February 2021}}

In [[Singapore]], the term crayfish typically refers to ''[[Thenus orientalis]]'', a seawater crustacean from the [[slipper lobster]] family.<ref>{{cite web |title = Sweet Chilli Crayfish (龙马精神) |url = http://www.mywoklife.com/2010/02/sweet-chilli-crayfish.html |date = 13 February 2010 |work = mywoklife.com }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = FAR OCEAN SEA PRODUCTS (PRIVATE) LIMITED |url = http://dollarvietnam.com/?Id=EStore&Act=View&Man=Chitiet&DoanhNghiep=farocean&SanPham=3d852a1024073cf53901da4ae1f4b7b2 |work = dollarvietnam.com }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title = Classic Asian Noodles |publisher = Marshall Cavendish |year = 2007 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=TsCV6YZXPQoC&pg=PA98 |isbn = 978-9812613356 }}</ref> True crayfish are not native to Singapore, but are commonly found as pets, or as an invasive species (''[[Cherax quadricarinatus]]'') in the many water catchment areas, and are alternatively known as ''freshwater lobsters''.<ref>{{cite journal |doi = 10.1007/s10530-007-9094-0 |title = Feral populations of the Australian Red-Claw crayfish (''Cherax quadricarinatus von Martens'') in water supply catchments of Singapore |author1 = Shane T. Ahyong |author2 = Darren C. J. Yeo |journal = Biol Invasions |volume = 9 |year = 2007 |pages = 943–946 |issue = 8 |bibcode = 2007BiInv...9..943A |doi-access = free }}</ref>

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the terms crayfish or crawfish commonly refer to the [[Palinurus elephas|European spiny lobster]], a saltwater species found in much of the East Atlantic and Mediterranean.<ref>{{Cite web |title = European spiny lobster (Palinurus elephas) |url = https://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/1145 |url-status = live |access-date = 17 October 2021 |website = The Marine Life Information Network |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160407175521/http://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/1145 |archive-date = 7 April 2016 }}</ref> The only true crayfish species native to the British Isles is the endangered [[white clawed crayfish]].<ref>{{Cite web |title = White-clawed (or Atlantic stream) crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) - Special Areas of Conservation |url = https://sac.jncc.gov.uk/species/S1092/ |access-date = 17 October 2021 |website = sac.jncc.gov.uk }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=White-clawed crayfish {{!}} Shropshire Wildlife Trust|url=https://www.shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/crustacea-centipedes-and-millipedes/white-clawed-crayfish|access-date=17 October 2021|website=www.shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk}}</ref>