Lamington spiny cray (Euastacus sulcatus) is a freshwater crayfish found in Lamington and Springbook National Parks.

With powerful pincers, keen eyes and sharp reflexes, the orange-fingered yabby is built to survive in diverse and often harsh conditions.

Swamp crayfish (Tenuibranchiurus glypticus), Australia’s tiniest freshwater crayfish, measures 2.5 cm in length.

Lamington spiny cray live in pools and streams of the subtropical rainforest on the Lamington Plateau, in McPherson Range, Cunningham’s Gap, the Mistake Mountains and at Mt Tamborine.

Baby redclaws (Cherax quadricarinatus) cluster beneath their mother’s tail.

Redclaw, native to the billabongs of the Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape York Peninsula, have been introduced into dams across Queensland and parts of South America.

The hiant lobster (Astacopsis gouldii) is the colossal cray that holds the world title for largest freshwater invertebrate, capable of weighing up to 6kg.

In a shallow pool in Girraween National Park a New England spiny cray (Euastacus suttoni) strikes a pose designed to intimidate potential predators.

Lucy the Lamington spiny cray (Euastacus sulcatus) helps student Katrin Lowe demystify the behaviour of these dramatic crustaceans.

This lobster claw is shown alongside a ruler to show its true size – a legacy of days when true giants graced Tasmania’s rivers.

Burrowing crayfish, such as the Burnie cray (Engaeus yabbimunna), generally remain tucked away in their tunnels and are therefore difficult to study.

New England spiny cray (Euastacus suttoni) live only on the New England Tableland, where clear creek water flows through woodlands and heaths at an altitude of 680 m or higher.

Todd Walsh brandishes a 1.2 kg ‘berried female.

Common yabby (Cherax destructor) is the hardiest of Australian yabbies – capable of tolerating muddy conditions, low oxygen levels and temperatures ranging from near-freezing to over 35 degrees celcius.

Mt Warning spiny cray (Euastacus guruhgi), named in 2005, is one of several species of crayfish discovered during research sponsored by the Australian Geographic Society.

Euastacus setosus is a freshwater crayfish endemic to Australia, found particularly around Mt Glorious in Queensland.

Marron (Cherax cainii) are the succulent table crayfish of Australia’s south-west – prized for their meaty tails and sweet-tasting flesh.

Because the Gippsland spiny cray (Euastacus kershawi) occurs further south than most of its spiny relatives, it is able to live comfortably at sea level.