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Shrimp Crayfish

Orconectes lancifer
Family: 
Cambaridae (freshwater crayfish) in the order Decapoda (shrimp, crabs, and lobsters)
Description: 

This medium-small crayfish is light reddish brown to gray, thickly dusted with darker specks. Its rostrum ("nose") is unusually long, with the acumen (tip) longer than the base. The carapace is not separated at its middle by a space (areola). The pincers are narrow and weak. The color pattern, shape of the rostrum and absence of an areola will distinguish this crayfish from other species within its range. The gray-speckled crayfish is somewhat similar in appearance, but it has heavier pincers and a shorter rostrum.

Size: 
Adult length: about 2 to 3 inches.
Habitat and conservation: 
An inhabitant of deep oxbow lakes and large, slow-flowing lowland rivers. It has been found in open water and among tree roots and other cover along the shore.
Distribution in Missouri: 
The shrimp crayfish has been collected in Missouri only from the lower St. Francis River (Dunklin County) from and Wolf Bayou (Pemiscot County).

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