Question

Name the appendages found on the abdomen of the crayfish. How can you identify the sex of the specimen by examining these appendages? What special use do they have in the female?

Answer 1

• The appadages found in the abdomen of crayfish is called Swimmerets.They are are small appandages which are attached to the abdorman of the crayfiah. They have the following functions. They helps the water to flow over the gills inorder to help the cray fish to breathe. They help them in swimming and in females, they have the special function of holding the larvae.
• We can determine the sex of the specen by analysing Swimmerets. The males have a speciality in their Swimmerets. They have an extra pair of Swimmerets ( first pair ) . First pair of Swimmerets in the male crayfish is bigger in size and tough, such than it can hold the female during copulation and transfer the sperm. The female has a hole which is of smaller size behind the Swimmerets.
• Swimmerets have special function in female. They help to hold the egg and larvae.The The broader abdomen and the Swimmerets helps it to hold the larvae. They are longer than the Swimmerets of male crayfish allowing them to hols the egg and larvae.