Cherax pulcher

This crayfish is very pretty. Its name means beautiful. It has pink and blue colors.

The pink part is its head. Its legs are blue. The tail can be dark blue. It also has large eyes.

It lives in a clear creek. The water moves fast there. The bottom has sand and rocks.

People keep them in tanks. Some people eat them too. This means there are fewer left now.

It is a special find from a far land.

The *Cherax pulcher* is a bright crayfish. Its name comes from a Latin word. That word means "beautiful." This name fits its colorful body.

This animal has many colors. The head part is pink. The sides are greenish-grey. Its legs are blue. The claws have white edges. The tail is dark blue or black. Some tails have pink speckles. It also has very large eyes.

Scientists found this crayfish in West Papua. It lives in Hoa Creek. The water in the creek is clear. It flows fast in some spots. The bottom has sand and rocks.

Many people want these crayfish for tanks. They are sold in Asia and Europe. People also call them "Blue Moon." In some places, people catch them for food. Local collectors say there are fewer left now. This is because people keep catching them.

The *Cherax pulcher* is a very colorful crayfish. Its name comes from a Latin word. That word is *pulcher*, which means "beautiful." This name was chosen for its bright colors. People around the world enjoy seeing them. They are popular in freshwater aquariums. You can find them in Asia, Europe, and North America. This little creature is quite special to many people.

This crayfish has a very distinct look. The head part, called the cephalothorax, is pink. It fades into greenish-grey on the sides. The eyes are notably large. Its legs and claws, or chelae, are blue. Some claws have cream or white edges. The tail, or pleon, is dark blue or black. Some have pinkish-grey or cream edges.

Finding this species was a bit of a mystery. It was first seen being sold for aquariums. At first, it was hard to find its home. Dealers could not always prove where it lived. Scientists eventually traced it to New Guinea. They found it on the Bird's Head Peninsula. The Maju Aquarium in Jakarta helped collect specimens. This helped scientists learn more about them.

This crayfish lives in a specific place. It is found in Hoa Creek. This creek is near Teminabuan in West Papua, Indonesia. The water there is very clear. It flows fast in some spots. The bottom of the creek has sand and rocks. It is the nineteenth *Cherax* species found in West Papua. It is part of the subgenus *Astaconephrops*.

Humans use this crayfish in different ways. Some people buy them as pets. They use names like "Blue Moon" or "Irian Jaya." Other local people harvest them for food. This is a hard job for the species. Local collectors say their numbers are going down. This happens because people catch them for food and export. We must notice these changes in nature.

The *Cherax pulcher* is a striking species of freshwater crayfish. It belongs to the family Parastacidae. This animal is highly valued in the ornamental fish market. People keep them in aquariums across Asia, Europe, and North America. Its specific name, *pulcher*, comes from a Latin word. That word means "beautiful." Scientists chose this name because of the animal's bright colors.

This species has a very complex and colorful appearance. The cephalothorax, which is the head and body section, is pink. This pink color fades into a greenish-grey shade on the sides. The rostrum, or the snout-like part of the head, is greenish-blue. The eyes of this crayfish are notably large. The legs and the chelae, which are the claws, are blue. Some chelae have margins that are cream-colored or white.

The underside and tail of the crayfish also show many colors. The pleon is the scientific name for the abdomen or tail section. This part is usually dark blue or black. It can have pinkish-grey or cream coloration on the margins. In some individuals, the pleon is greenish-grey with pink speckles. The tail fan has a cream-colored or pink outer margin. These varied colors make the species stand out in its habitat.

Finding the exact home of *Cherax pulcher* was a scientific mystery. It was first observed being sold for aquariums. At first, researchers thought it might be a new species. However, it was difficult to track down its origin. Aquarium dealers made claims about where the crayfish lived. These claims were difficult for scientists to prove or corroborate. Eventually, researchers traced the species to the Bird's Head Peninsula in New Guinea.

Scientists used help from the Maju Aquarium in Jakarta to find specimens. This helped them confirm the species' true location. *Cherax pulcher* is part of the subgenus *Astaconephrops*. It is the nineteenth *Cherax* species discovered in West Papua, Indonesia. This region is unique because *Cherax* are not known from other parts of Indonesia. This species is morphologically similar to *C. boesemani*. That other species lives in Ajamaru Lake and the Ajamaru River. Those two locations are approximately 100 kilometers away.

The habitat of *Cherax pulcher* is very specific and limited. So far, it has only been found in Hoa Creek. This creek is located near the village of Teminabuan in West Papua. The water in Hoa Creek is very clear. In some places, the water flows quite fast. The bottom of the creek is made of sand and rocks. This environment provides the specific conditions the crayfish needs to live.

Humans interact with this species in several different ways. On the ornamental fish market, they are sold under many names. Some people call them "Hoa Creek" crayfish. Others use the names "Blue Moon" or "Irian Jaya." Beyond being pets, local people also harvest them as a source of food. These two uses create pressure on the wild population.

There are concerns regarding the conservation status of this crayfish. Local collectors have observed a change in their population. The numbers of *Cherax pulcher* have begun to decrease. This decline happens because of continued harvesting. People catch them for both food and for export to the aquarium trade. Monitoring these populations is important to understand their survival in the wild.