I bought a 4" brown crawfish from the LFS last week that was missing one of its claws, and one of its legs. Do they "regrow" their legs/claws?
Do crawfish "regrow" their extremities?
- Thread starter jameshilljr
- Start date
Yes - it takes a few molts to get back some of the size of the original, but they generally do regenerate.
DAVIDFBT
Extinct? Since when?
Humans can grow limbs back?
Hmmm...
Must test this out
Haha, kidding.
But yes, in a few months your cray'll be lookin perdy.
Hmmm...
Must test this out
Haha, kidding.
But yes, in a few months your cray'll be lookin perdy.
FYI, crustaceans will occasionally, loose a limb, or segment of a limb, when they molt. When a crayfish/crab/shrimp grows, the flesh will wrinkle beneath the carapace. Since the outer shell is hard, and cannot expand, this creates pressure, and initiates the molting process.
Once free of the old shell, the new outer surface expands, like a balloon, and hardens. If a portion of the soft flesh does not freely detach from the carapace, the flesh is easily ripped from the invertebrates body. This is due to the delicate nature of the flesh, and the rapid and violent nature of molting.
Once free of the old shell, the new outer surface expands, like a balloon, and hardens. If a portion of the soft flesh does not freely detach from the carapace, the flesh is easily ripped from the invertebrates body. This is due to the delicate nature of the flesh, and the rapid and violent nature of molting.