Crayfish belong to the group of crustaceans known as decapods (subclass Malacostraca), a group that is primarily marine. Crayfish inhabit a broad range of environments where they are typically omnivorous. Adult males occur in two forms: Form I and Form II. The former are the breeding males, whereas the latter are instars that immediately precede reproduction and are difficult to distinguish from juveniles. Crayfish have been important bait for Maine’s inland fisheries and attempts were made in the past to introduce crayfish to lakes as a forage supplement. It is likely that these introductions have expanded the distributions of some species. There are currently eight crayfish species in Maine, of which four are native to the state. Maine’s crayfish belong to three genera and a single family.
|
