Astacidea

Infraorder of Pleocyemata

Food, Animal source foods, Arthropods (Arthropoda), Crustaceans (Crustacea), Decapods (Decapoda), Pleocyemata

Consumption area(s): Earth, with the exception of inland Africa and certain areas of Asia

Introduction

The infraorder Astacidea encompasses a group of decapod crustaceans that includes true lobsters, various forms of crayfish, and species closely related to them. Unlike other crustaceans sometimes called “lobsters,” such as the spiny lobster, these belong to a distinct lineage.

Representatives of Astacidea occupy a wide range of habitats, living both in marine environments and in freshwater ecosystems. Their distribution is nearly global, with the notable absence of populations across continental Africa and certain regions of Asia.

Description of Astacidea

A defining feature of the Astacidea is the presence of chelae (claws) on the first three pairs of pereiopods. Among these, the foremost pair is markedly enlarged, while the other two are noticeably smaller in comparison. The final two pairs of pereiopods are generally clawless, a trait that sets them apart.

Classification of Astacidea

For convenience, we can divide the Astacidea into families (a preliminary division into superfamilies would be unnecessary here). Among these we find:

• Astacidae (Turkish crayfish, Signal crayfish, White-clawed crayfish/Atlantic stream crayfish)
• Cambaridae (Red swamp crayfish/Louisiana crawfish/Mudbug)
• Nephropidae (lobsters, scampi)