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Freshly hatched hybrids between Astacus astacus and Astacus leptodactylus differ in chela shape from purebred offspring
Furrer SC, Cantieni M and Duvoisin N 
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Abstract
The native crayfish Astacus astacus and the introduced Astacus leptodactylus live together in several waters in Switzerland. Whether hybridisation occurs is not clear, nor is the recognition of possible hybrids. In our experiment interspecificly mated A. astacus females lost all eggs before hatching whereas interspecificly mated A. leptodactylus females did not. Morphological parameters of stage 2 juveniles of conspecificly mated A. astacus and A. leptodactylus and of interspecificly mated A. leptodactylus were compared. Chelae were longer and wider in purebred A. astacus juveniles than in purebred A. leptodactylus juveniles. Hybrid juveniles showed a different chela morphology in that they were shorter and wider than those of either of the purebred species. Purebred juveniles of both species differed also in carapace characteristics. Hybrids were similar to A. leptodactylus in this respect which makes a clear identification of hybrids impossible in this early stage. Survival of hybrid juveniles was very low and after 2 month mortality was 100%.
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Furrer SC, Cantieni M and Duvoisin N. (1999). Freshly hatched hybrids between Astacus astacus and Astacus leptodactylus differ in chela shape from purebred offspring. Freshwater Crayfish 12(1):90-97. doi:
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