First Crayfish

[jtp]

Hi everyone,

I've been in search of crayfish for sometime now. Because I go hiking regularly I often pass through small streams and creeks. I've spotted them on a few occasions previously last year but have not been successful with a capture. I spotted this fella on the other side of the stream and not wanting to get my feet wet I used my finger as bait to lure him across. He must have been hungry because he came across right up to me and was easily caught by hand and after a few snaps he was off on his way again.

He was caught by hand using my pinky finger as a "lure" imitating a worm south of Sydney. No measurements taken but would have easily exceeded the 12cm carapace length.

Cheers

Joe

[bessell1955]

Wow, it is so colourful and is very large. I have never seen this species east of the mountains.

[W4z]

Very nice man, a fun way to catch one

[jtp]

Wow, it is so colourful and is very large. I have never seen this species east of the mountains.

This is the only species I have seen so far on my walks around Sydney. I'd assume you get them all around the mountains?

[jtp]

Very nice man, a fun way to catch one

Thanks man. Took a while. Previous failed attempts involved me getting wet. I like this new method but don't know if it'll work again... haha

[Rock&Beach]

Good work mate. We use to catch them back home in Vic a little larger but great eating. I crapped myself when I saw the first one dropped it back in the water. Dad was real pissed.

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[bessell1955]

I assume that you located this one in the Blue Mountains.

[Dr Funk]

That looks like a Euastacus spinifer or Sydney spiny crayfish. Many of the Euastacus species are on the critically endangered list. From the colour morphology on that one I assume you caught it in the national park, south of Sydney? The ones in the Blue Mountains tend to have more white on the carapace and the ones even further out in lithgow are completely red! We have about 50 species of freshwater cray endemic to Austraila and no one really take much notice of them other than yabbies, redclaw and marron.

[bessell1955]

Well Dr Funk my day has not been wasted. I have learnt something new.

[kyuss]

Definitely looks like Euastacus Spinifer. I spent a good few years in high school exploring every likely habitat looking for different species between Wollongong and Sydney. What I tended to find was a distinction between the streams draining west and those draining to the coast. I never found Euastacus Spinifer in a coastal draining stream north of Wollongong - these tended to have a smaller and greener species (I cant remember the name). The ones draining west were normally dominated by Euastacus Spinifer (which grew to large sizes) and the smaller but very impressive black and red coloured Euastacus Australasiensis. South of the Illawarra I did find Spinifer very close to the coast so it's not a hard and fast rule - that was just my experience from many years ago. I'd love to revisit some of those streams but most were Water Board and the fines aren't worth it.