Tags: Crustacean.
Astacoides is a genus of freshwater crayfish endemic to Madagascar. The first specimens were brought to Europe in 1839 and seven species are now recognised most of which are on the IUCN Red List. They are large and slow-growing and are threatened by habitat loss overexploitation by local people and by spread of introduced non-indigenous Marbled crayfish (Procambarus fallax f. virginalis). They are only found in a relatively small part of the island mostly in undisturbed upland areas.
