File:Astacus_astacus_male.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Astacus astacus
Sign in to saveAlso known as European crayfish, noble crayfish, broad-fingered crayfish, Noble crayfish
species of crayfish in Europe
Astacus astacus is a species of freshwater crayfish native to Europe, commonly known as the noble crayfish or European crayfish. It matters because it has historically been an important food source and indicator of water quality in European freshwater ecosystems, though populations have declined due to disease and habitat loss.
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Species
Vulnerablenoble crayfish
Astacus astacus
SPECIES
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumArthropoda
- ClassMalacostraca
- OrderDecapoda
- FamilyAstacidae
via GBIF · IUCN
Wikidata facts
- Image
- Astacus astacus 02.JPG
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- taxon name
- Astacus astacus
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- taxon common name
- jelševec
- short name
- A. astacus
Sources (6)
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Article
Astacus astacus, the European crayfish, noble crayfish, or broad-fingered crayfish, is the most common species of crayfish in Europe, and a traditional food source. Like other true crayfish, A. astacus is restricted to fresh water, living only in unpolluted streams, rivers, and lakes. It is found from France throughout Central Europe, to the Balkan Peninsula, and north as far as Scandinavia and Finland, and Eastern Europe. Males may grow up to 16 cm (6 in) long, and females up to 12 centimetres (5 inches).
Ecology