Distribution and size structure of noble crayfish, Astacus astacus (L.), populations in Belarus
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Abstract
In Belarus the noble crayfish mainly occurs in waters of the Baltic Sea basin. Only in two cases it was found in rivers of the Black Sea basin. In the water-bodies of Belarus there is a tendency for noble crayfish numbers to increase since the early 1990s. In most cases Astacus astacus was found to occur in small rivers. Noble crayfish was detected in a total of 32 water bodies, in a few cases together with Astacus leptodactylus. Catches of A. astacus ranged from 0.04 to 1.3 individuals per trap per day. Belarussian noble crayfish populations are characterised by the predominance of small-sized individuals which is in contrast to the situation in neighbouring Lithuania and in Belarus in the 1950s. This specific population structure may either reflect regenerating and growing populations or stunted populations.
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Kulesh V, Alekhnovich A and Ablov S. (1999). Distribution and size structure of noble crayfish, Astacus astacus (L), populations in Belarus. Freshwater Crayfish 12(1):835-845. doi:
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