April 2005 Volume 27 Issue 1 ISSN 1023-8174 The Official Newsletter of the International Association of Astacology CRAYNET Brings Findings on European Crayfish Diversity and Knowledge-Based Management of Inside this issue: Native Species to the Wider Public Cover Story 1 Presidents Corner 2 Obituary 3 Short Articles 4 News From Around the 8 World Freshwater Crayfish 14 10 Meetings & 14 Conferences Photo Album 17 Web Sites of Interest 21 to Astacologists Literature of Interest 22 to Astacologists A blue-phase Astacus astacus. Photo by: Chris Lukhaup. IAA member Catherine Souty- and economics with sustainable envi- Grosset sends the following report on ronmental quality” involves eleven the activities of the thematic network countries (France, Ireland, Italy, Ger- CRAYNET supported by the Euro- many, Sweden, Austria, Norway, pean Commission. United Kingdom, Poland, Finland and Spain). It was set up as a network of Crayfish are among the largest European researchers and managers to and longest-lived of freshwater inverte- develop knowledge-based management brates, and their wide-ranging activity strategies and a common approach to management. The aim is to highlight Crayfish News now means that they are not only appreci- and stimulate research activities into has a brand new lay- ated as heritage species whose loss the three threatened crayfish species out to make it easier would diminish freshwater biodiversity, native to the European Community, to read online and but they also act as keystone species, and to disseminate findings on these after printing. We regulating biodiversity in streams and heritage species to the wider public. hope you like the lakes. The CRAYNET project subti- Consequently the Network is organised new format! tled “European crayfish as keystone species- linking science, management (Continued on page 18) Crayfish News y Volume 27 Issue 1: Page 1 Presidents Corner Dear IAA members: Craynetters will join the International This is a very busy time for crayfish Workshop “Biological invasions in people in Florence. Our group, com- inland waters” (May 5-7). We have two posed of several fantastic students of venues for this event: the historical the University of Florence, is organizing headquarters of the University of Flor- IAA President Francesca the Final Conference of the European ence (the “Aula Magna”) and the Gherardi (Italy) project Craynet. The conference, enti- “Tribuna di Galileo” in the Zoological tled “European crayfish as heritage spe- Museum of Florence. We expect about cies -linking research and management 200 delegates, coming from all over the strategies to conservation and socioeco- world (several European countries, but nomic development,” will be held on also Canada, USA, Asia, and Australia). May 2-5 in the center of Florence. A It will be difficult for my students to frescoed palace of the Florentine Ren- manage all these “invaders”, but cer- aissance (Palazzo Giugni-Ammannati) tainly great help will come from the high will provide the historical atmosphere level of the participants (eminent scien- for this conference. We expect partici- tists and managers working in the field pation of more than 90 European dele- of bioinvasions, including Stephan Gol- gates who will enjoy the presentations lasch, Papik Genovesi, Geoffrey How- by Guido Chelazzi (University of Flor- ard, etc.), from the beauty of Florence in ence), Ian Cowx (Hull University), Keith May (much sun, crossing our fingers), Crandall (Brigham Young University, and from the pleasure offered by the USA), Bernardino Fantini (University of several side-events we are organizing Geneva), and Kenneth Söderhäll, Upp- (the social dinner in Chianti, the field sala University. trip to the monastery of La Verna and to the Park of “Le Foreste Casentinesi”, The number of delegates will dra- the attendance to the opera “La Tosca” matically increase on May 5, when by Giacomo Puccini). H The International Association of Astacology (IAA), founded in Officers: Hintertal, Austria in 1972, is dedicated to the study, conservation, Francesca Gherardi, President, Department of Animal Biology and wise utilisation of freshwater crayfish. Any individual or firm and Genetics, University of Florence, via Romana 17, 50125 Firenze, interested in furthering the study of astacology is eligible for Italy. E-mail: [email protected] membership. Service to members include a quarterly newsletter, membership directory, bi-annual international symposia and Catherine Souty-Grosset, President-elect, Laboratoire de Géné- publication of the journal Freshwater Crayfish. tique et Biologie des Populations de Crustacés, University of Poitiers, UMR CNRS 6556, 86022 Poitiers Cedex, France. Secretariat: E-mail: [email protected] The International Association of Astacology has a permanent Elizabeth Watson, Secretary, DRA Aquatic Consultants, 20 Cedar secretariat managed by Bill Daniels. Address: IAA Secretariat, Road, Castle Donington, Derby, DE74 2LR. England. Room 123, Swingle Hall, Department of Fisheries and Allied Aqua- E-mail: [email protected] cultures, Auburn University, AL 36849-5419, USA. Keith Crandall, Past-President, Department of Integrative Biol- Tel: +1(334) 844-9123 / Fax: +1(334) 844-9208 ogy, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602-5255 USA. E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Web page: Statements and opinions expressed in Crayfish News are not http://iz.carnegiemnh.org/crayfish/IAA/ necessarily those of the International Association of Webmaster: James W. Fetzner Jr. Astacology E-mail: [email protected] This issue edited by James W. Fetzner Jr. and Francesca Gherardi Crayfish News y Volume 27 Issue 1: Page 2 OBITUARY IN MEMORY OF JAROSLAV STAROBOGATOV In December 2004 Jaroslav Igorevitch Star- obogatov, Doctor of Biology, professor, one of the greatest Russian zoologists, famous for his work on molluscs and crustaceans all over the world, passed away. Having worked at the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, for more than 40 years Dr. Starobogatov, even at 74 did not stop laboring there up to his last days, in spite of being seriously ill. I was lucky to meet with Dr. Starobogatov more than once. He was always interested in the latest in- formation concerning river crayfish, comparing it with his private observations. Jaroslav Starobogatov was always helpful and kind to his visitors. He was ready to answer any tricky questions or give advice. Many of us will always remember Dr. Starobogatov as a brilliant educator. Among his successors are not Dr. Jaroslav Igorevitch Starobogatov only those who obtained their scientific degrees un- and more than 300 articles in Russian and foreign der his careful guidance, but also his many grateful biological magazines. As to molluscs, his careful revi- students from throughout the former USSR to sion of their species and subspecies let him describe whom he lectured. some new genera and subgenera. For many years, Crayfish, both their spreading and taxonomy, was Jaroslav Starobogatov lead the Malocological Society, the principal subject of our talks. These are questions Russian Academy of Sciences, as its President. Dr. of high importance, especially crayfish taxonomy. Starobogatov has done his best as a member of both Before Dr. Starobogatov proposed his system, two the Russian and International Commissions on Zoo- other ones were acting: first, the system of Dr. logical Nomenclature. Tsukersis; and second, the scheme of Dr. Brodski, a Jaroslav Starobogatov was born and brought up more capacious work published in Ukrainian. Nowa- in Moscow where he became a student of Moscow days the most modern capacious system for crayfish State University and then a postgraduate. For more taxonomy, developed by Yaroslav Starobogatov, than 40 years his life was closely connected with the covers the gaps of previous ones and might seem Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, new for many Russian and foreign astacologists. This in St. Petersburg. Not in vain, his great intelligence new idea has not yet gained wide acceptance, how- spread from biological matters to many other ever, it was based upon Jaroslav Starobogatov's per- branches of science. Jaroslav's father, Igor Star- sonal data, along with many observations of other obogatov, was employed as a 'know-all' by Izvestia authors. It includes a wide range of freshwater cray- newspaper since the Tzar's time. Igor Starobogatov's fish taxonomic characters, which have first been as- task was to read all the issues looking for actual mis- sessed in accordance with logic. The scheme has gen- takes in the field of geography, economy, literature, eralized numerous data on narrow-clawed crayfish etc. So his son's aspirations to knowledge have to a subspecies and other crayfish species published by great extent come from family surroundings. We Dr. Brodski previously. In the course of time the sys- know the late Dr. Starobogatov as a hard-worker, an tem might be made more precise by means of genetic observant, passionate naturalist blessed by God. The examination. rich heritage left by him in different fields should be The crayfish system is only a little piece of Dr. taken as a milestone in the way of scientific develop- Starobogatov's great scientific heritage. His broad ment. H knowledge in animal and plant taxonomy, phylogeny, Dr. Valeri Fedotov and biogeography has enriched many branches of science. Dr. Starobogatov has published five books Crayfish News y Volume 27 Issue 1: Page 3 Short Articles THREAT