Abstract
Narrow-clawed crayfish, Astacus leptodactylus is a native European freshwater crayfish species, also distributed in Croatian freshwater systems belonging to the Black Sea drainage. Its taxonomical status is still in the process of change and discussion, and the data on morphological, molecular, ecological and zoogeographical characteristics of this species are scarce. Therefore, comparative analyses of morphological characteristics were applied with the aim to contribute to the knowledge on the morphometrical and meristical characteristics of A. leptodactylus. Recent research proved that measurements of a large number of morphometrical characteristics, in combination with multivariate statistical analysis, could provide a good instrument for identification and differentiation between populations. In this research altogether 143 animals were analysed (121 from two Croatian populations and 22 from Armenia). 22 morphometrical characteristics and 4 meristical characteristics, per crayfish, were measured. It was found that males and females differ between populations in measured meristical and morphometrical characteristics. None of recorded meristical characteristics proved itself to be reliable characteristic for distinguishing populations. From measured morphometrical characteristics the most discriminant characteristics for separating males from different populations were those describing carapace shape and for females those that describe shape of the claws.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alekhnovich A., Kulesh V. & Ablov S. 1999. Growth and size structure of narrow-clawed crayfish Astacus leptodactylus Esch. in its eastern area. Freshwater Crayfish 12: 550–554.
Alexandrova E. 1999. Pontastacus leptodactylus: Cultivation and Restoration of Stocks in Central Russia. Freshwater Crayfish 12: 563–572.
Baric S., Höllrigl A., Füreder L. & Dalla Via J. 2005a. Mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA analyses of Austropotamobius pallipes in South Tyrol (Italy) and Tyrol (Austria). Bull. Fr. Pęche Piscic. 376–377: 599–612.
Baric S., Höllrigl A., Kershbamer C., Füreder L., Petutschnig J. & Dalla Via J. 2005b. Updating of the molecular phylogeny of the Austropotamobius pallipes species complex by including specimens from South Tyrol (Italy) and Carinthia (Austria). Bull. Fr. Pęche Piscic. 376–377: 627–636.
Burba A., Vaitkute N. & Kaminskiene B. 1999. Morphometrics of crayfsih species and relationship to the trophic level of waterbodies. Freshwater Crayfish 12: 98–106.
Chambers C.L., Payne J.F. & Kennedy M.L. 1979. Geographic variation in the dwarf crayfish, Cambarellus puer Hobbs (Decapoda, Cambaridae). Crustaceana 36: 39–55.
Duman E., Pala M. & Gürel A. 1999. Keban Baraj Gölü Ağın Bölgesinde Yaşayan Tatlısu İstakozu (Astacus leptodactylus salinus Nordmann, 1842)’nun Ölçülebilir ve Sayılabilir Özellikleri [Metric and meristic characters of Crayfish (Astacus leptodactylus salinus Nordmann, 1842) which live in Agın Region of Keban Dam Lake]. J. Sci. Eng. 11(1): 137–143.
Entz G. 1914. Über die Flusskrebse Ungarns [On the freshwater crayfish from Hungary]. Mathematische und Naturwissenschaftliche Berichte aus Ungarn 30: 67–127.
Füreder L. & Machino Y. 2002. A revised key of freshwater cray-fish in Europe. Ber. Nat.-Med. Verein Insbruck 89: 169–178.
Grandjean F., Romain D., Avila-Zarza C., Bramard M., Souty-Grosset C. & Mocquard J.P. 1997. Morphometry, sexual dimorphism and size at maturity of the white-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes pallipes (Lereboullet) from a wild French population at Deux-Sèvres (Decapoda. Astacidea). Crustaceana 70(1): 31–44.
Grandjean F. & Souty-Grosset C. 2000. Genetic and morphological variation in the endangered crayfish species. Austropotamobius pallipes (Lereboullet) (Crustacea. Astacidae) from the Poitou-Charentes region (France). Aquat. Sci. 62: 1–19.
Güner U. 2006. Terkos Gölü Kerevitleri (Astacus leptodactylus Eschscholtz, 1823)’nin Bazı Morfolojik Özellikleri [Some morphometric characteristics of crayfish (Astacus leptodactylus Eschscholtz 1823) in Lake Terkos]. E.U. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 23(1–2): 163–167.
Harlioğlu M.M. 2003. Differences in the crista dentata of the ishium of the third maxilliped in Astacus leptodactlyus (Eshscholtz, 1823). Folia Zool. 51(1–2): 111–116.
Holdich D.M. 2002. Present distribution of crayfish in Europe and some adjoining countries. Bull. Fr. Pęche Piscic. 367(4): 611–650.
Holdich D.M., Haffner P. & Noël P.Y. 2006. Species files, pp. 49–131. In: Souty-Grosset C., Holdich D.M., Noël P.Y., Reynolds J.D. & Haffner P. (eds), Atlas of Crayfish in Europe, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris.
Hudina S., Faller M., Lucić A., Klobučar G. & Maguire I. 2009. Distribution and dispersal of two invasive crayfish species in the Drava River basin, Croatia. Knowledge Manag. Aquat. Ecosyst. 394–395: 9. DOI: 10.1051/kmae/2009023
Imre I., McLoughlin R.L. & Noakes D.G.L. 2002. Phenotypic plasticity in brook charr: changes in caudal fin induced by water flow. J. Fish Biol. 61: 1171–1181. DOI: 11.1111/j.1095-8649.2002.tb02463.x
Jerry D.R. & Cairns S.C. 1998. Morphological variation in the catadromous Australian bass. from seven geographically distinct riverine drainages. J. Fish Biol. 52: 829–843. DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1998.tb00823.x
Kalmikov E. 1999. Biological principals of artificial propagation of freshwater crayfish Pontastacus leptodactylus int he lower River Volga. Freshwater Crayfish 12: 935–936.
Karaman M.S. 1961. Slatkovodni rakovi Jugoslavije [Freshwater crayfish of Yugoslavia]. Ribarstvo Jugoslavije 3(61): 1–33.
Karaman M.S. 1962. Ein Beitrag zur Systematik der Astacidae (Decapoda) [Contribution to the knowledge on the systematics of Astacidae (Decapoda)]. Crustaceana 3: 173–191.
Karaman M.S. 1963. Studie der Astacidae (Crustacea, Decapoda) II. Teil [Study on the Astacidae (Crustacea, Decapoda) 2nd part]. Hydrobiologia 22: 111–132.
Karaman S. 1929. Die Potamobiiden Jugoslaviens. Glasnik zemaljskog muzeja u Bosni i Hercegovini XLI: 147–150.
Klingenberg C.P. 2002. Morphometrics and the role of the phenotype in studies of the evolution of developmental mechanisms. Gene 287: 3–10. DOI: 10.1016/S0378-1119(01)00867-8
Maguire I. & Gottstein-Matočec S. 2004. The distribution pattern of freshwater crayfish in Croatia. Crustaceana 77(1): 25–49.
Maguire I., Klobučar, G.I.V, Gottstein S. & Erben R. 2003. Distribution of Austropotamobius pallipes (Lereboullet) in Croatia and notes on its morphology. Bull. Fr. Pęche Piscic. 370–371: 57–71.
Maguire I., Klobučar G., Faller M., Machino Y., Kučinić M. & Žužul M. 2006. Updates on the distribution of the white-clawed and the narrow-clawed crayfish in Croatia. Crayfish News 28(1): 4–5.
Matinfar A. 1999. Characteristics of Anzaly Lagoon crayfish Astacus leptodactylus. Freshwater Crayfish 12: 937.
Pakkasmaa S. 2001. Morphological differentiation among local trout (Salmo trutta) populations. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 72: 231–239. DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2001.tb01313.x
Palma J. & Andrade J.P. 2002. Morphological study of Diplodus sargo, Diplodus puntazzo and Lithognatus morryrus (Sparidae) in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. Fish. Res. 57: 1–8. DOI: 10.1016/-7836(01)00335-6
Parkyn S.M., Collier K.J. & Hicks B.J. 2002. Growth and population dynamics of crayfish Paraneprhops planifrons in streams within native forest and pastoral land uses. New Zeal. J. Mar. Fresh. Res. 36: 847–861.
Saila S.B. & Flowers J.M. 1969. Geographic morphometric variation in the American lobster. Syst. Zool. 18: 330–338.
Scalici M., Belluscio A. & Gibertini G. 2008. Understanding population structure and dynamics in threatened crayfish. J. Zool. 275: 160–171.
Sint D., Dalla Via J. & Füreder L. 2005. Morphological variations in Astacus astacus L and Austropotamobius pallipes (Lereboullet) populations. Bull. Fr. Pęche Piscic. 376–377:637–652.
Sint D., Dalla Via J. & Füreder L. 2006. The genus Austropotamobius in the Ausserfern region (Tyrol, Austria) with an overlap in the distribution of A. torrentium and A. pallipes populations. Bull. Fr. Pęche Piscic. 380–381: 1029–1040.
Sint D., Dalla Via J. & Füreder L. 2007. Phenotypical characterization of indigenous freshwater crayfish populations. J. Zool. 273: 210–219.
Śmietana P., Schulz H.K., Keszka S. & Schulz R. 2006. A proposal for accepting Pontastacus as a genus of European crayfish within the family Astacidae based on a revision of the West and East European taxonomic literature. Bull. Fr. Pęche Piscic. 380–381: 1041–105.
Sokolsky A., Mikouiza A.S. & Kalmikov E. 1999. Biological peculiarities of the freshwater crayfsih Astacus leptodactylus leptodactylus Eschscholtz in the Volgo-Caspian region. Freshwater Crayfish 12: 946–947.
Streissl F. & Hödl W. 2002. Growth, morphometrics, size at maturity, sexual dimorphism and condition index of Austropotamobius torrentium Schrank. Hydrobiologia 477: 201–208. DOI: 10.1023/A:1021046426577
Stucki T.P. 1999. Life cycle and life history of Astacus leptodactylus in Chatzensee Pond (Zurich) and Lake Ageri, Switzerland. Freshwater Crayfish 12: 430–448.
Swain D.P. & Foote C.J. 1999. Stock and chameleons: the use of phenotypic variation in stock identification. Fish. Res. 43: 113–128.
Westman K., Pursiainen M. & Vilkman R. 1978. A new folding trap model which prevents crayfish from escaping. Freshwater Crayfish 4: 235–242.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Maguire, I., Dakić, L. Comparative analyses of Astacus leptodactylus morphological characteristics from Croatia and Armenia. Biologia 66, 491–498 (2011). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-011-0045-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-011-0045-y