Procambarus clarkii, Red Swamp Crawfish
Procambarus clarkii, Red Swamp Crawfish
Red swamp crawfish are the same species we usually eat, but
these specimens are an unexpected outcome of an experiment done at the Aquaculture Research Center of Northwestern State University. Researchers are still trying to unravel the mystery of the occurrence of this blue color:
- These crawfish were originally red-brown, but something in the environment turns them blue over a four-month period.
- The blue color varies among individuals, but once a crawfish turns blue, it will remain blue throughout its many molts as long as the specific environmental influence remains.
- It is estimated that in the wild, blue coloration is seen in roughly 1 out of every 10,000 individuals, but in lab experiments this changes to about 6 out of every 10
