# Noble crayfish (*Astacus astacus*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/noble-crayfish  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) is a crustacean in the family Astacidae, placed in the animal subgroup crabs and lobsters. It belongs to the order Decapoda, suborder Pleocyemata and superfamily Astacoidea, within the class Malacostraca and phylum Arthropoda. The IUCN Red List assesses the noble crayfish globally as Vulnerable (VU), a threatened category. Other English names for the species are river crayfish, European crayfish, red-clawed crayfish, red-footed crayfish and broad-clawed crayfish.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | up to 16 cm |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | freshwater, riverine |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Arthropoda
- class: Malacostraca
- order: Decapoda
- family: Astacidae
- genus: Astacus
- species: *Astacus astacus* (Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms: *Cancer astacus*, *Potamobius astacus*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the noble crayfish?

The noble crayfish is a crustacean in the family Astacidae, grouped with crabs and lobsters. It belongs to the order Decapoda.

### What is the scientific name of the noble crayfish?

The scientific name of the noble crayfish is Astacus astacus, in the genus Astacus.

### Who named the noble crayfish and when?

The species name Astacus astacus carries the authority (Linnaeus, 1758).

### Is the noble crayfish endangered?

The noble crayfish is listed as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List in a global assessment, which is a threatened category.

### Is the noble crayfish extinct?

No, the noble crayfish is a living species according to the Catalogue of Life.

### What are other names for the noble crayfish?

The noble crayfish is also called river crayfish, European crayfish, red-clawed crayfish, red-footed crayfish and broad-clawed crayfish.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Noble crayfish (Astacus astacus). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/noble-crayfish