A BLUE CRAYFISH.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 24 January 1929, Page 8

A BLUE CRAYFISH.

BEAUTIFUL CRUSTACEAN. WELLINGTON MUSEUM SPECIMEN Many people, have at some time or other, had the childhood illusion that red is the natural colour of the crayfish rudely dispelled, but a specimen recently forwarded to the Dominion Museum at Wellington, has gone to the other extreme, and is a distinct blue colour. This is a blue kura, or fresh-water crayfish, apparently new to scientific literature, although its existence was formerly known to the Maoris of the island lake districts, reports the “Dominion.” As far back 'as 1918, the director of the museum, Mir. W. J. Phillipps, endeavoured unsuccessfully to obtain a specimen in the thermal lakes district. Visits were made to all the leading streams, but the' blue crayfish was conspicuous by its absence. For a period of ten years Mr. Phillipps had been writing to correspondents in various localities in the hope of eventually securing a specimen. but it was not. until last week that one of these species arrived at the j Dominion Museum. |

In appearance the crayfish is a beautiful violet blue colour, but in formation the blue gives place to a striking violet colour which covers the whole body and legs. Structurally this crustacean is very similar to Paranephrops planifrons, the most common fresh-water type of the North Island. It is not certain yet whether the blue crayfish is distinct, but the specimen is now being examined with a view to deciding its true status.