Species · GBIF taxon 2227300
Red Swamp Crayfish
Procambarus clarkiiAlso known as Louisiana Crawfish, Mudbug, Louisiana Crayfish, Red Swamp Crawfish
Red swamp crayfish are highly adaptable, aggressive crustaceans recognizable by their bright red coloration and bumpy, narrow claws. They are prolific burrowers, digging deep tunnels into banks to survive dry spells and cold winters. Their high reproductive rate and tolerance for poor water quality have allowed them to colonize freshwater ecosystems globally, where they often outcompete native species.
InvasiveAquaticBurrower
- diet
- Omnivorous scavenger feeding on aquatic plants, detritus, insects, snails, and small fish
- family
- Cambaridae
- threats
- Habitat degradation in native range; widely secure and expanding globally
- life Span
- 2 to 5 years
LC
Possesses strong claws capable of delivering a painful pinch; handle with care behind the carapace.
Equipped with powerful, spiny claws used for defense and capturing prey, which can pinch hard enough to break human skin.
Never grab them by the limbs or from the front; pick them up from behind the thorax or use a small net.- Safe Handling: Grasp the crayfish firmly from directly behind the claws on the carapace to avoid being pinched.
- Invasive Reporting: Document and report sightings outside their native southern US range to local wildlife authorities.
- Burrow Identification: Look for mud chimneys near water edges, which indicate active underground tunnels.