_cover_small.jpg "Issue Cover Image")
Behavioral ecology of the white-clawed crayfish, Austropotamobius pallipes, in a Tuscan stream: preliminary results
Gherardi F, Villanelli F and Dardi P 
Published Online:
Abstract
A population of the white-clawed crayfish, Austropotamobius pallipes, was studied throughout a one-year cycle along an Apennine stream in Tuscany. We describe several aspects of its behavioral ecology (population size and structure, sex-ratio, relative and absolute growth, activity, and biological cycle) and discuss the relationships among them. A comparison with the intensively cultivated North American crayfishes shows that A. pallipes has a longer life, less fecundity and slower growth, thus resembling more a K-selected species. Management regulations in Tuscany include restrictions on the harvesting season and the number and size of crayfish captured. However, these largely disregard the biology of the species. Therefore, we recommend a revision of the fishery rules based on the present biological knowledge of A. pallipes.
Supplemental Documents
There are no supplementary documents for this article
Cited By
Citations:
How to Cite
Gherardi F, Villanelli F and Dardi P. (1996). Behavioral ecology of the white-clawed crayfish, Austropotamobius pallipes, in a Tuscan stream: preliminary results. Freshwater Crayfish 11(1):182-193. doi: 10.5869/fc.1997.v11.182
Author Information
Authorship information for this paper are currently unavailable.
Publication History
Manuscript Submitted:
Manuscript Accepted:
Published Online:
Published in Print:
Funding Information
No specific funding statement is available for this article.