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Story: Crabs, rock lobsters and other crustaceans

Red crayfish releasing larvae

Video file

Female crayfish carry up to half a million fertilised eggs on the underside of their tails for 3 to 5 months. This video clip shows a female releasing a swarm of newly hatched larvae from her tail region into the water currents.

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Natural History New Zealand

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How to cite this page

Niel Bruce and Alison MacDiarmid, Crabs, rock lobsters and other crustaceans – Rock lobsters, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/8235/red-crayfish-releasing-larvae (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Niel Bruce and Alison MacDiarmid, published 2 March 2009.