Marron
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| Cherax tenuimanus [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Cherax tenuimanus Smith, 1912 |
Marron is a name given to large freshwater crayfish found in the south-west corner of Australia. The species have been identified as Margaret River (hairy) marron (Cherax tenuimanus) and smooth marron (Cherax cainii) [2][3], and this is being assessed [4].
The hairy marron occupies a narrow range within the southwestern biogeographical region of Margaret River. It is currently under threat from the wider ranged smooth marron which was introduced to its habitat.
Marron make excellent eating, very similar in taste to lobster. They can be prepared in a variety of ways, such as boiling or grilling, and again similarly to lobster, the shells will turn a bright red colour when cooked. Marron are considered a luxury product and are the subject of a developing aquaculture industry in Western Australia and in other Australian states. Total Australian production of farmed marron was 30 tons in 1996. In Western Australia, recreational fishing for marron is tightly controlled, with a limited season, permits required and minimum sizes.
Marron have been introduced to Kangaroo Island in South Australia, where they have been commercially farmed, and have established feral populations in local waterways. In South Australia it is illegal to return them to the water [5].
[edit] References
- ^ Crandall (1996). Cherax tenuimanus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 09 May 2006. Listed as Vulnerable (VU A1de v2.3)
- ^ Stephen J. Beatty, David L. Morgan & Howard S. Gill (2005). Life history and reproductive biology of the gilgie, Cherax quinquecarinatus, a freshwater crayfish endemic to southwestern Australia ([dead link]). Journal of Crustacean Biology 25 (2): 251–262. doi:. “Despite the conservation and ecological importance of the freshwater crayfish species of Western Australia (aside from that on the larger, recreationally and commercially important marron C. cainii (sensu Austin and Ryan, 2002) formerly known as C. tenuimanus), distribution, and occurrence in a wide range of habitats (where it is often locally abundant) have resulted in it being targeted by recreational fishers and forming an important component of the traditional diet of local Aboriginals”
- ^ Hairy marron (Cherax tenuimanus). ARKive. Retrieved on 2007-03-06. “Range. The marron was split into two distinct species in 2002, when it was realised that some individuals were hairy (Cherax tenuimanus) and others were smooth (now known as the smooth marron, Cherax cainii). The newly-named hairy marron is endemic to the Margaret River in southwest Western Australia.”
- ^ Brett W. Molony, Brian Jones, Craig S. Lawrence & Vicki A. Gouteff (2006). Cherax tenuimanus Smith, 1912 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Parastacidae): proposed conservation of usage of the specific name. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 63 (4): Case 3267.
- ^ PIRSA Recreational fishing guide (PDF).
[edit] External links
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