Northern Clearwater Crayfish
Faxonius propinquus
This record describes Faxonius propinquus (species). Recorded family: Cambaridae. Recorded order: Decapoda.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Malacostraca
- Order
- Decapoda (Crabs, Crayfishes, Lobsters, Prawns, and Shrimp)
- Superfamily
- Astacoidea
- Family
- Cambaridae
- Genus
- Faxonius
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Streams and rocky shores of lakes.
Geographic Range
Ontario, Quebec, and New York westward to Iowa and southeastern Minnesota, and southward to Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.
About Crabs, Crayfishes, Lobsters, Prawns, and Shrimp: the wider group
Order-level background for Decapoda, the group containing Faxonius propinquus. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Decapoda includes ~15,000 described species of crabs, lobsters, shrimp, and crayfish. Although primarily marine and freshwater, some species like hermit crabs and coconut crabs are fully terrestrial.
Ecological role of the group
Crayfish are keystone species in freshwater ecosystems, influencing water clarity, sediment dynamics, and plant communities. Hermit crabs play vital roles in nutrient cycling on tropical islands.
Economic and practical significance of the group
The global shrimp industry alone is worth over $45 billion annually. Crayfish are important aquaculture species and invasive crayfish cause ecological damage estimated in the hundreds of millions annually in Europe and North America.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO fisheries statistics, freshwater ecology. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Northern Clearwater Crayfish (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Eric Moody; Additional contributions by Hannah Nendick-Mason , Jason D. Roberts