Crawdads or Crawfish? Crayfishes are crustaceans that live in bodies of freshwater and look and resemble like small lobsters.
These water creatures are actually related to lobsters and in terms of taxonomy or animal classification; they are considered members of the superfamilies Parastacoidea and Astacoidea.
Crayfishes or crawdads could breathe via feather-like gills and could be found in areas of waters that do not freeze at the bottom.
As their defensive stance, crawfishes stay in streams and brooks where the water is running.
A lot of species of crayfish could not live in dirty or polluted water.
These aquatic beings feast on dead and living plants and animals as well.
What is With The Names? The term 'crayfish' was derived from the term 'escrevisse', a French term that has something to do with the action 'crawling' or 'to crawl'.
As per folk etymology, the term had been changed to 'crayfish' which was attributed to 'fish'.
Mudbugs, crawdads, yabbies and lobsters are some of its local names.
These water creatures are considered as decapods crustaceans, meaning 'ten footed' or crustaceans with ten feet.
Their bodies are composed of nineteen body segments clustered into two major body divisions: the abdomen and the cephalothorax.
Each sector could have one couple of limbs, though in many groups these may be diminished or not present.
The Average Crawfish Measurement Crayfishes sizes or measurements vary depending on its species, nonetheless in average, these aquatic crawlers could grow to 6.
9 inches (or roughly 17.
5 centimeters), but other species could grow up larger.
The Danube crayfish or Astacus leptodactylus have an average length between fifteen to thirty centimeters (or six to twelve inches).
The Astacus astacus or European crayfish adult male could reach 16 centimeters while its adult female could grow 12 centimeters.
The Austropotamobius torrentium or the stone crayfish could grow ten centimeters (or four inches) in size while the White-clawed crayfish or the Austrapotamobius pallipes could grow or reach an average of ten to twelve centimeters in length.
Crayfish Practical Usages The essence of crayfish existence is in its practical uses.
Like other water creatures, these decapods are sold and used as ideal bait especially when catching fishes like muskie, pike, bass, largemouth and channel catfish.
Other than being fish baits, crayfish are amongst one of humans' favorite delicacies.
Crayfish is usually prepared boiled.
Other than being boiled, crayfish could be cooked as bisque, soups or could be added as flavoring in some dishes.