Aquatic Invertebrates
Media
Species Types
Scientific Name
About 38 species in Missouri
Description
Crayfish are freshwater aquatic invertebrates that look a lot like small lobsters, to which they are related. There are about 38 species of crayfish in Missouri.
Media
Species Types
Scientific Name
Faxonius williamsi (formerly Orconectes williamsi)
Description
Williams' crayfish is small and rather plain, without bright colors or bold markings. It has a pale, vase-shaped zone along the middle of the dark olive-tan carapace. It is found only in the upper White River drainage of Missouri and Arkansas.
See Also
About Aquatic Invertebrates in Missouri
Missouri's streams, lakes, and other aquatic habitats hold thousands of kinds of invertebrates — worms, freshwater mussels, snails, crayfish, insects, and other animals without backbones. These creatures are vital links in the aquatic food chain, and their presence and numbers tell us a lot about water quality.