"Over the last decade, there has been an increasing number of colourful crayfish sold in the ornamental fish trade in Europe, North America, and Asia under the names Cherax 'Hoa Creek', 'Blue Moon', and 'Irian Jaya' presumed to represent a further undescribed species from New Guinea," - Chris Lukhaup The species was identified by German scientist Christian Lukhaup, who described the creature in the journal ZooKeys, and although it has been sold commercially since the early 2000s, no one knew what it was or where it came from. The most common and popular colour forms are a white, blue and violet species, and a greenish grey, blue and white one: "The new species, Cherax pulcher differs from all other crayfish of this subgenus in the shape of its chelae, shape of body and also in its colouration," Lukhaup wrote. He said there are now 19 known species of Cherax in Indonesia. The latest grows up to 12cm in length and has a wider areola and body shape compared to its closest relative morphologically. |
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The redclaw crayfish from Australia. |
"A nomenclative raised fist in the dark night of zoological quietism" A new species (Cherax snowden) found on the Kepala Burung (Vogelkop) Peninsula was named after Edward Joseph Snowden to honour his extraordinary achievements in defense of justice, and freedom. A new species, Cherax snowden sp. n., from the Oinsok River Drainage, Sawiat District in the central part of the Kepala Burung (Vogelkop) Peninsula, West Papua, Indonesia, is described, figured and compared with the closest related species, Cherax holthuisi Lukhaup & Pekny, 2006. This species is collected and exported for ornamental purposes and its commercial name in the pet trade is “orange tip” or “green orange tip”. Both species may be easily distinguished morphologically or by using sequence divergence, which is substantial, for considering C. snowden sp. n. to be a new species. |
 Cherax warsamsonicus |