Euastacus hystricosus
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| Euastacus hystricosus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
| Family: | Parastacidae |
| Genus: | Euastacus |
| Species: | E. hystricosus |
| Binomial name | |
| Euastacus hystricosus Riek, 1951 | |
Euastacus hystricosus, the Conondale spiny crayfish is a species of southern crawfish in the family Parastacidae.[2][1] It is endemic to Queensland in Australia. It is listed as Endangered by the Australian government,[3] and as also Endangered on the IUCN Red List.[1]
Adult Euastacus hystricosus are dark green, with red, orange, or yellow claw tips. The tailfan may sometimes be orange. It reaches around 1.6 kg in weight and an ocular carapace length of 15.6 cm.[3]
Range and habitat
The species is found in the Mary River and Brisbane River drainages, in headwaters approximately 475 m above sea level. It prefers shaded, well-oxygenated, flowing headwaters in wet sclerophyll forest and rainforest. It lives in permanent riffles, runs, glides and pools, and takes shelter under rocks, logs, and burrows. It is suspected it cannot tolerate temperatures higher than ~23°C.[3]
Because this crayfish's habitat is around 475 m in altitude, lowland areas are a barrier to dispersal.[1] This has resulted in three genetically distinct subpopulations.[3]
Ecology
Euastacus hystricosus is largely nocturnal.
They breed annually, usually in mid-autumn, with an average of 900 eggs attaching to the female's swimmerets under the tail. Eggs hatch and develop through the larval stage before detaching from the female in spring to early summer. Predation of juvenile crayfish is likely very high.[3]
