Crayfish

The crayfish is the odd man out among crustaceans because it lives in fresh water. It looks like a tiny clawed lobster and is found worldwide except in Africa. Crayfish are particularly prized in Scandinavia, eastern Europe, France, Louisiana, the Pacific Northwest, and in Australia where they are nicknamed “yabbies”. Most crayfish weigh 1-3 oz/30-90 g, but in Australia, giant species can run to the size of lobster. The red-clawed crayfish is preferred to the paler white-clawed variety. Both are commonly farmed since wild crayfish, though abundant in some rivers, are devils to catch. The swamp crayfish is often called “crawfish” in the USA.