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Deepseawaters Home Deepsea
AnimalsLamington Spiny Crayfish
Lamington Spiny Crayfish
Common Name: Blue Mountain Crayfish
Scientific Name: Euastacus Sulcatus
Description
 Grows
up to 24cm in length. The typical colour form restricted to
the Lamington Plateau is an eye-catching
vivid blue or blue-green with patches of white on the carapace
and bright red on the joints. Males have larger claws than
females, while females have broader abdomens than males.
Diet
The
Lamington Spiny Crayfish are bottom-dwelling opportunistic
scavengers. A large part of their diet consists of rotting
leaves and other decomposing plant material.
Behaviour
Individuals
are commonly seen in summer but remain hidden in crevices
or burrows in winter. When they are threatened, the crayfish
rear up defensively, hiss and wave and clack their claws aggressively.
Life History
Eggs
are laid in November and December - the female carries the
eggs under her tail. The yolk of the egg is retained by the
young hatchlings as a yolk sac, supplying food during early
growth. The mother's swimmerets move gently to provide a supply
of well-aerated water necessary for the survival of the developing
young. Only when the yolk sac has been completely absorbed
and the young resemble miniature adults, do they leave the
mother and commence free living.
Habitat
The
Lamington Spiny Crayfish is found in pools
and streams at altitudes above 300m in subtropical rainforests
and wet sclerophyll forest. They also commonly move about
the rainforest floor when it is damp in search of food and
are sometimes seen considerable distances from the nearest
stream.
Location or Region Found
Restricted
to south-east Queensland and far northern NSW,
including the Lamington Plateau, McPherson Range,
Cunningham's Gap, Mistake Mountains and
Mt Tamborine.
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