Species profile
Rusty Crayfish
Faxonius rusticus
At a glance
Rusty Crayfish (Faxonius rusticus) is an IUCN Least Concern crustacean regulated in 19 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
The strictest bag limit is 20 (Montana); the most generous is 150 (Missouri).
Confirmed by 3,297 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Ontario, Ohio, and New York the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Identified by two distinctive rust-colored spots on the sides of its carapace.
- An aggressive invasive species that outcompetes and hybridizes with native crayfish.
- Destroys beds of aquatic vegetation, reducing habitat and food for fish and waterfowl.
- Commonly spread to new lakes when anglers dump unused live bait.
- Native to the Ohio River basin but now established across much of the northern US and Canada.
Where Rusty Crayfish are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Rusty Crayfish
Background
The rusty crayfish is a large, aggressive species of freshwater crayfish which is native to the United States, in the Ohio River Basin in parts of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Its range is rapidly expanding across much of eastern North America, displacing native crayfishes in the process. The rusty crayfish was first captured in Illinois in 1973, and has been collected at over 20 locations in the…
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Rusty Crayfish article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other crabs/lobsters/shrimp on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.