A medium-sized lobster-like freshwater crustacean — a keystone food source for many fish, birds, and mammals. Native populations support entire stream food webs, while introduced populations devastate them.

Also called: Crawfish, Crawdad

Native status: Native; widespread

§ Quick facts

SizeBody length 8–30 cm (3–12 in)
Weight100–500 g
LifespanWild 5–15 years
OrderDecapoda
FamilyAstacidae

§ Encyclopedia

Faxonius virilis is a species of crayfish known as the virile crayfish, northern crayfish, eastern crayfish, and lesser known as the lake crayfish or common crawfish. Faxonius virilis was reclassified in August 2017, and the genus was changed from Orconectes to Faxonius. It is native to the central United States, east to tributaries of Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence River in New York and to much of Canada.

Source: Wikipedia — Faxonius virilis Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Large crayfish with reddish-brown color.

Similar species. Other Faxonius species.

Voice. N/A

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Omnivorous: aquatic plants, insects, fish.

Behavior. Major commercial species of US Pacific Coast.

§ Range

Native to north-central US/Canada; invasive elsewhere

§ Habitat

Lakes, ponds, slow streams with rocky cover

§ Threats

In native range: pollution, dams. In introduced range: they themselves displace native crayfish species.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the common crayfish (northern) is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

Don't move crayfish between waters. Buy only locally caught for bait. Support invasive crayfish removal.

Support our work More ways to help

§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • American Fisheries Society
  • iNaturalist