Field Guide

Aquatic Invertebrates

Showing 1 - 6 of 6 results
Media
Photo of a bristly cave crayfish, viewed from the side.
Species Types
Scientific Name
Cambarus setosus
Description
The bristly cave crayfish is a whitish crayfish with small, unpigmented eyes and long, slender pincers with noticeable setae (bristles). It lives in caves in the Springfield Plateau region of the Ozarks.
Media
Photo of a Caney Mountain cave crayfish out of water on a wet, red-coated cave rock.
Species Types
Scientific Name
Orconectes stygocaneyi
Description
One of three species of cave crayfish in Missouri, the Caney Mountain cave crayfish is known from only one location. Like many other cave invertebrates, this species is whitish and is blind.
Media
Photo of a Salem cave crayfish.
Species Types
Scientific Name
Cambarus hubrichti
Description
The Salem cave crayfish lives in caves in the Missouri Ozarks. Its localized distribution makes its populations vulnerable to catastrophes that might pollute or damage their cave environment.
Media
Photo of a spothanded crayfish viewed through creekwater.
Species Types
Scientific Name
Faxonius punctimanus (formerly Orconectes punctimanus)
Description
The spothanded crayfish is moderately large and usually has a noticeable black spot on each pincer near the base of the movable finger. In Missouri, it is found mostly in Ozark waterways in the southeastern quarter of the state, from Callaway, Montgomery, and Warren counties south.
Media
Photo of Williams' crayfish.
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.
Media
Photo of a spothanded crayfish viewed from above on white background.
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.
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.