Creature Feature Encyclopedia: Crustaceans

Pond Crayfish Procambarus clarki Length: 4-5" (10-12.5 cm) Habitat: North American ponds and streams

Landlocked Lobsters
by Anne Tenna, Planet Scout Gazette Staff

Pond Crayfish are relatives of marine crabs, lobsters and shrimp. like lobsters, they have 10 walking legs, the first pair of which is modified into a powerful set of pincers. Crayfish use these pincers to hold and tear their food, which consists mainly of plants. Crayfish are nocturnal, hiding under submerged rocks during the day. During dry seasons, they burrow into wet soil at the bottom of the pond.

~Salamander Rain: A Lake and Pond Journal © 2001