Eu-habitats-directive

Guides

• Astacidae

  Astacid Crayfishes, Freshwater Crayfish

  Astacidae is a family of freshwater crayfish comprising four extant genera: Astacus, Austropotamobius, Pontastacus, and Pacifastacus. Members are native to Europe, western Asia, and western North America. The family is distinguished by a gonopore positioned on the coxa of the third pair of walking legs in males (fifth pair in females), a trait shared with all Astacoidea. Several species, particularly Pacifastacus leniusculus (signal crayfish), have become invasive outside their native ranges, carrying crayfish plague (Aphanomyces astaci) that threatens native European populations.

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• Cordulegaster

  Golden-ringed Spiketails, Goldenrings, Spiketails

  Cordulegaster is a genus of large dragonflies in the family Cordulegastridae, commonly known as golden-ringed dragonflies or spiketails. The genus contains approximately 30 described species distributed across North America, Europe, and Asia. Members are characterized by their distinctive yellow or golden ring markings on the abdomen and, in females, prominent spikelike ovipositors used for inserting eggs into stream substrates. Several species are habitat specialists associated with forested streams and are of conservation concern, including C. heros, which is protected under the EU Habitats Directive.

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