1. CRUSTACEANS name comes from hard, crusty body armor
most crustaceans live in ocean
some well known crustaceans are:
lobsters
crabs
shrimp
crayfish

2. Crayfish close cousins of lobsters, crabs, and shrimp
lobsters, crabs, and shrimp live in salt water
crayfish live in fresh water
lakes and streams
found on every continent except Africa and Antarctica
more than 230 species[kinds] live in USA
new species discovered every year

3. Crayfish Facts aren’t fish breathe with gills
gills take oxygen from water
crayfish can stay out of water as long as gills are wet
have 5 pairs of legs
4 pairs are for moving
1 pair form a set of pincers
pincers used to grab things, especially food
also used for digging

4. Crayfish Growth hard shell doesn’t grow
crayfish gets too big for shell
MOLTS - breaks out of old shell
skin hardens into new shell
molt many times as they grow
also REGENERATE body parts
can grow new legs, claws etc. if one is lost

5. Crayfish Eating Habits
hunt for food at night
will eat just about anything small
help clean up streams and lake beds
eat decaying plants and animals

6. Crayfish Sensing have eyes on stalks that can move all around
in front of eyes 2 sets of feelers/antennae
one set is long
one set is short
antennae covered with tiny hairs
tiny hairs help crayfish touch, taste, smell
opening where each short antenna joins head
openings lined with hair
hairs sense movement in water

7. Crayfish Reproduction
reproduce with eggs
female lays eggs
crawls into a hiding place to protect eggs
eggs hatch
babies stay stuck to mother’s tail until ready to swim on own

8. Crayfish Protection
predators include: otters, raccoons, minks, fish, turtles, snakes, some birds, people
crayfish can hide under a rock or burrow
threaten enemies with claws
can swim backwards