Crayfish of the World

Description:

This book serves as a comprehensive ‘crayfish catalogue’, offering the most essential facts about each species. It aims to provide all enthusiasts, from laymen to specialists, with a systematic overview of the fascinating world of crayfish. This book invites readers to appreciate the diverse colours, forms, life strategies, and behavioural patterns of these captivating crustaceans.

A product of a profound passion and an insatiable curiosity about the world's crayfish species. The authors, driven by a desire for a comprehensive overview that did not yet exist, decided to embark on this project themselves. Their deep interest in this fascinating animal group motivated them to take on the monumental task.

To create this book, they meticulously organised and completed their extensive and previously erratic collection of scientific papers. Through this systematic approach, they gathered information on virtually every known crayfish species to date.

Throughout their research, they strengthened their connections with crayfish specialists worldwide, travelling across different continents to gather firsthand knowledge and experiences. Their primary focus was to compile all available information on these crustaceans. Equally important was their goal to capture high-quality photographs of as many species as possible.

Dealing with approximately 750 different species is a task only truly understood by those who have undertaken similar projects. While photographing all these crayfish themselves was their initial goal, it quickly became clear that an entire lifetime would likely be insufficient. Travelling the globe to locate, identify, and photograph every species would be nearly impossible. However, their extroverted and highly sociable personalities proved invaluable in obtaining high-quality images from specialists worldwide.

Unfortunately, material for some species was unavailable. The authors went to great lengths during their travels to locate and document many of these elusive crayfish for posterity. Through their collaborative efforts, they also discovered numerous new species, unveiling them to the world for the first time.

Over time, the authors amassed an immense amount of material, making it challenging to condense all the information into a single book and to find a willing publisher. Crayfish are a niche subject, and convincing a publishing house to commit to a book featuring over 800 colour photographs was no small feat. Unfortunately, the limitations of the book format meant it was impossible to include every piece of information available on crayfish today.