Slough Crayfish
Procambarus fallax
This record describes Procambarus fallax (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
- Procambarus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Lentic and lotic situations and burrows
Geographic Range
Tributaries of the Satilla River, Georgia, southward through peninsular Florida.
About Crabs, Crayfishes, Lobsters, Prawns, and Shrimp: the wider group
Order-level background for Decapoda, the group containing Procambarus fallax. 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 Slough Crayfish (4)
Photo credits: Contributed by Jason D. Roberts