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New England Crayfish, Sutton's Crayfish
Conservation status: Least Concern
The New England Crayfish lives only in a small area of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales.
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Scientific Classification
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Decapoda
Parastacidae
Euastacus
suttoni
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These crayfish can usually be distinguished from a yabby (Cherax species) by their larger size and the presence of short robust spikes on their claws, carapace and abdomen. Yabbies have smooth shells. Because of this difference, a common name for all Euastacus crayfish species is "spiny crayfish".
New England Crayfish have been found living in highland streams as well as larger bodies of water. They have also been found in shallow water, hiding beneath rocks. They prefer to make their burrows in marshy areas away from the main stream channel. Unlike yabbies, Euastacus species are unable to survive drying of their habitats.
Euastacus crayfish eat both plant and animal matter and are opportunistic feeders. They are relatively aggressive and territorial and will fight each other to defend their territory if the contestants are similar in size.
The crayfish are usually slow growing and live for a long time. Adult crayfish moult every one to two years. When moulting, the crayfish leaves its burrow. This makes them more vulnerable to predators and is a dangerous time for them. It is thought that females moult before breeding.
Females reach maturity at about 7-9 years of age and then they will breed only once a year. They lay the eggs and then carry them around with them for 5-6 months until the babies hatch. Only a small proportion of juveniles reach maturity.
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