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Pacifastacus leniusculus
Signal Crayfish
The signal crayfish is a large North American freshwater crayfish introduced to Europe in the 1960s to replace declining native fisheries. It has become one of the most ecologically impactful invasive decapods in Europe, outcompeting native crayfish and serving as a carrier of crayfish plague (Aphanomyces astaci). The species establishes self-sustaining populations rapidly, with six age cohorts documented within a few years of introduction. It shows sex- and size-specific coloration patterns, with males displaying more saturated and brighter ventral claw surfaces than females, suggesting a role in intraspecific communication.
invasive-species crayfish-plague-carrier decapod freshwater-crustacean conservation-concern species-of-Union-concern early-detection-rapid-response ark-sites ecosystem-engineer bioaccumulation sexual-dimorphism nocturnal-activity invasion-gradient trapping electrofishing eradication Mediterranean-invasion headwater-threat native-crayfish-displacement fisheries-introduction 1960s-introduction Europe Japan California-native Pacifastacus Astacidae Decapoda Malacostraca Arthropoda Aphanomyces-astaci white-clawed-crayfish signal-crayfish control-planning removal-actions catch-per-unit-effort color-variation carotenoids camouflage conspicuousness intraspecific-communication elemental-accumulation contaminant trophic-level macroinvertebrate plant-detritus riffle stream river lake tributary invasion-front core-population exploratory-behavior migration-patterns ontogenetic-color-change kick-sampling detection-protocol false-negative Catalonia Italy Portugal Spain Poland Scandinavia 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Magliozzi freshwater-turtle Rato Carosi habitat-use trapping-efficiency hypersaline-lagoon Herrero-Reyes Iberian-Peninsula López-Cañizares African-marine-protected-area global-database Ackland Indian-freshwater-fish evidence-gap Kumar European-freshwater-plant ecosystem-impact Di-Lernia global-synthesis naturalised-plant aquatic-habitat Kortz interdisciplinarity translational-relevance issue-4930 Bluesky scholarly-publishing ecology invasion-ecology aquatic-ecosystem flatworm snail gang-attack extinction pot-plant soil-sterilization fumigation hot-water-immersion biosecurity-measure international-trade Hirudo-medicinalis Neil-Phillips Steven-Falk Sarah-Henshall omphiscola-glabra Cornwall Scotland Blera-fallax Epione-vespertaria Triops-cancriformis Eustroma-reticulatum Eresus-sandaliatus Formica-exsecta Gryllus-campestris Decticus-verrucivorous Pareulype-berberata Euphydryas-aurinia Margaritifera-margaritifera Gortyna-borelii-lunata Dolomedes-plantarius Coenagrion-mercuriale Leucorrhinia-dubia Stethophyma-grossum Melanargia-galathea Thymelicus-sylvestris Formica-rufa Kielder-Forest Northumberland Liz-Oldring Stephen-Wills Durham-University climate-suitability limited-funding biased-funding vertebrate nature-positive-trade 2024-General-Election Manifesto-for-Bugs seven-actions commitments halting-nature-loss reversing-invertebrate-decline Andrew-Whitehouse South-West-Manager Lord-De-Mauley wildlife-minister mineral-extraction Treasury George-Entwistle 50%-cut badger-cull river-dredging £100K £12.75 £420 £1,616 2012 2014 21-projects 2-projects reporting Bedstraw-hawk-moth national-pride leadership David-Smith Social-Change-and-Advocacy-Officer Lisa-Manning Policy-and-Engagement-Officer February-2024 GB-Non-Native-Species-Strategy one-year-anniversary measurability timeline off-track 2030 time-lag establishment Red-Imported-Fire-Ant Solenopsis-invicta world's-worst-invasive-species PaPs draft-form consultation-delay 2023-State-of-Nature-Report 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conservation-status 2000 climatically-suitable nine-years pest-species Forestry-England Wood-Ant keystone-woodland-species rescue immediate-danger Austropotamobius-pallipes North-American-Signal-Crayfish Pacifastacus-leniusculus outcompetes fungal Crayfish-Plague susceptible successful-reintroduction rigorous-planning appropriate-guidelines reintroduction-code natural-habitat restoration micro-habitat-requirements life-cycle-stage conservation-tool-kit targeted-habitat-restoration mobile-species species-specialist public 2010s 2004 thousands-of-caterpillars multiple-attempts public-attention vertebrate-relative 2025 opposite-pattern celebration