Admin What structure of the crayfish helps with chewing food?
The mandibles, or jaws, crush food by moving from side to side. Two pairs of maxillae hold solid food, tear it, and pass it to the mouth. The second pair of maxillae also helps to draw water over the gills.
What structure do crayfish use to capture and eat prey?
The chelipeds are the large claws that the crayfish uses for defense and to capture prey. Each of the four remaining segments contains a pair of walking legs. In the abdomen, the first five segments each have a pair of swimmerets, which create water currents and function in reproduction.
What appendages deal with feeding crayfish?
Focus on the head, you may notice small appendages around the mouth. These are called the MAXILLIPEDS, and there are three sets, one on top of the other. These appendages help the crayfish manipulate food. The MANDIBLES of the crayfish are similar to the jaws of humans.
What structures help crayfish reproduce?
Crayfish usually mate in the fall. Females excrete pheromones which are detected by the antennules of males. The openings of the sex organs are located on the front end of the abdomen just below the thorax. In the male, the first two pairs of abdominal pleopods are used as organs of sperm transfer.
What are structures of a crayfish?
Crayfish have two body segments, the cephalothorax, which is the fused head and thorax, and the abdomen. The cephalothorax is protected by a carapace and is where you’ll find the eyes, antennae, and antennules. You’ll also find the mouth parts: mandibles, two pairs of maxillae, and the maxillipeds.
How do crayfish feed?
As they are not particularly strong swimmers, the food they eat usually must sink to the bottom of the river before they can eat it. They mostly use their claws and first two pairs of walking legs (which have small pincers on the end) to pick up food and eat it.