Our pond's crawfish appear identical to yours. We're over near Dolores at only 6500 feet elevation. The pond water comes in as irrigation water from the Dolores River. That river is certainly the original source for our crawfish. Our LMB, SMB, YP, BRNT, and RBT all scarf up the crawdads.
We call them TASTY!
Surely someone knows what kind they are?
Jim White is the Durango regional fish biologist. He has helped me with fish identification of some of the obscure minnow types, sending me photos and links in his correspondence. You might give him a call at 970-247-0855. If Leland answers the phone, pick his brain-he's also very knowledgeable.
If nothing more, they may connect you to the regional biologist for your area.
Awesome!! Thank you very much!!!
Where were these crayfish collected? From just the pictures, I think they are red swamp crayfish (Procamabrus clarkii). The rostrum is deformed on some of the live ones.
I can not tell you what they are, but do a google search for Northern Crayfish. The body shape looks similar to me. In the search there will be specific identification points that you can compare to the Northern and see if they match.
That is one of the common types in our area.
I think they are Northerns. Just hoped an expert would confirm.
They could be northern crayfish Orconectes virilis which is superficially similar to the red swamp crayfish, both get large. To be sure of the name you need to pull of the male gonopod and compare it to both species. Red swamp is not reported to occur in Colorado whereas northern crayfish occurs in CO which is why I asked where it was collected.
http://iz.carnegiemnh.org/crayfish/Keys/SectionII.htmThis is a good resource for trying to ID crayfish. There are so so many and such little changes between them.
The front claws have the inside out curve to them like the red swamp but the body is thick and wide unlike the red swamp.
Cheers Don.
They could be northern crayfish Orconectes virilis which is superficially similar to the red swamp crayfish, both get large. To be sure of the name you need to pull of the male gonopod and compare it to both species. Red swamp is not reported to occur in Colorado whereas northern crayfish occurs in CO which is why I asked where it was collected.
Sorry Bill I did not even see your other reply. Yes they were collected in SW CO.
Thanks Don
