Brief
Scientists catalogue 20 giant North American crayfish, Tennessee specimen tops list
A nationwide review of museum specimens revealed 20 giant crayfish, placing a 2011 Tennessee bottlebrush crayfish at the top.
By Felo News Desk · Published
A collaborative review of museum collections across the United States has identified 20 exceptionally large crayfish representing 18 species, according to a study published in the journal Ecology. The effort began when Caitlin Bloomer, a teaching assistant professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, retrieved an unusually large specimen she nicknamed “Crawzilla” during a biological survey in Kentucky.
What happened
Bloomer’s find sparked a nationwide inquiry. She contacted biologists and curators, asking them to examine their holdings for unusually large crayfish. Using precise calipers, researchers measured preserved specimens and compiled a list of the 20 biggest individuals. The list includes a range of species, but the largest was a Tennessee bottlebrush crayfish housed in the West Liberty University Astacology Collection in West Virginia. That specimen measured 86.6 mm (about 3.4 inches) across the carapace, not counting tail, claws or antennae. It was collected in 2011 by Dr. Zac Loughman and West Liberty students.
What the reports add
The ScienceDaily release notes that while Bloomer’s “Crawzilla” did not claim the top spot, it ranked within the top 20 and was the only burrowing crayfish on the list. The report also highlights that the Tennessee bottlebrush crayfish was the sole specimen collected before 2015, underscoring the value of historic museum collections for uncovering size extremes.
What was said
Bloomer told ScienceDaily, “Mine was not the biggest, but it did make the top 20, so I’m super proud of it. And it was also the only burrowing crayfish to make the list, so I’ll take the win.” Dr. Zac Loughman said, “I knew we had some massive crayfish in the West Liberty University Astacology Collection, but it was a surprise to learn we had the two largest specimens known from North America!”
How it came about
The project builds on earlier Felo News coverage of the same Tennessee bottlebrush specimen, which was featured in a September 29 article that detailed its 86.6 mm carapace and its 2011 collection date. That prior piece provided the baseline data used in the new ranking.
Key facts
- Scientists identified 20 exceptionally large crayfish from 18 species. (sciencedaily.com)
- The largest specimen is a Tennessee bottlebrush crayfish measuring 86.6 mm across the carapace. (sciencedaily.com)
- The record‑holder was collected in 2011 by Dr. Zac Loughman and West Liberty University students. (sciencedaily.com)
- Caitlin Bloomer’s “Crawzilla” ranked within the top 20 and was the only burrowing crayfish on the list. (sciencedaily.com)
Sources
- [1] sciencedaily.com — originally reported as ““Crawzilla” was huge. Then scientists found an even bigger crayfish”
