Creaserinus

Creaserinus fodiens



Digger Crayfish

Description: The digger crayfish is a heavy-bodied, reddish-tan species with a pale, iridescent stripe along the midline of the abdomen and short, broad pincers. The moveable finger on the pincers has a deep notch on the inner margin near the base, and there is a thick growth of hairlike setae along the opposing margin of the fixed finger. Areola absent. The rostrum is broad, with a central troughlike depression. The carapace and abdomen are about equal in length.

Habitat: In Missouri, the digger crayfish occurs in seasonally flooded areas in lowlands and in floodplains of streams. In January through May, it may be found in surface waters, but the rest of the year is spent in burrows underground. Burrows consist of a nearly vertical shaft that extends as low as groundwater. It widens at the bottom, and often there is at least one side passage leading to the surface or to a nearby stream or ditch. The surface openings often have a chimney or mound made of the excavated mud.

Sources: MDOC