Scientists say: Eating crayfish is the best way to eradicate this terrifying virgin animal

If you see a small, bluish-gray and speckled shrimp, congratulations, you've met the marbled crayfish, the creature that plagues all of Germany. This freshwater crustacean has attracted scientific attention in recent years because of its female asexuality, its ability to rapidly adapt, and make it the deadliest invasive species.

The marbled crayfish was first recognized in 1995, when a biology student bought a bag of shrimp advertised as Texas crayfish. However, after a while, the small batch of shrimps spawned out of control, so he had to distribute them to his friends to let them drop into rivers, lakes and toilets. That unintentional act made Germany, much of mainland Europe and especially the island of Madagascar - which has a unique freshwater ecosystem - quickly becoming the second home of this shrimp.

Marbled crayfish.

When Frank Lyko, professor of epigenetics at the German Center for Cancer Research (DKFZ), first encountered the shrimp, he was amazed at their ability to reproduce from a single cell, and decided to choose as the research object.

'All marbled crayfish share the same genome, but they adapt quickly to many different environments. This makes them scientifically special, just as a tumor adapts to its environment," he said.

Lyko led an ambitious genomic study and verified that all marbled crayfish descended from a single female. They reproduce asexually through parthenogeneesis. In 2015, the professor called these crustaceans Procambarus virginalis.

The more you eat, the better

In Germany, which is grappling with an encroachment of marbled crayfish, authorities take a strict approach to them. Specifically, the environment department of the Berlin senate assigned the task of setting up crayfish traps to Klaus Hidde, a retired banker and now a hobby angler. He says marbled crayfish not only threaten native species but also cause crayfish plague, which wiped out the European crayfish market that was so successful 150 years ago.

Previously, Hidde had been assigned a similar task with red crayfish. 'In just one year, I caught 42,000 of them. I was seen as a savior,' he said. Berlin restaurants take on the role of transforming crayfish into a dish that appeals to Germans.

However, the marbled crayfish business is not as profitable as the red crayfish. Maybe because officials are still very wary of creating demand for the meat of this self-replicating shrimp, Hidde explained. This can lead to overbreeding and aggravate the situation.

This shrimp species is extremely dangerous for the native ecosystem.

Meanwhile Lukas Bosch, co-founder of Holycrab!, a biodiversity start-up, hopes the marbled crayfish's nutritional value can appeal to Germans looking for an alternative food. sustainable position. The company plans to turn invasive species - such as raccoons, Egyptian geese, wild boar to crustaceans like the Chinese glove crab - into delicious food, while increasing ecological awareness for German diners.

It has tried selling marbled crayfish meat in loaves of bread, as well as making high-protein animals into stews and stews. 'Since these crayfish have no natural predators, we thought why not humans take that position. Instead of giving up meat, in this case, the more the better,' he said.

Learn to live together

Ranja Adriantsoa, ​​a conservation biologist, says the shrimp is extremely dangerous for the native ecosystem. A female shrimp about 12 cm long can hold between 200 and 700 eggs, as she reproduces 4 times a year without mating, it doesn't take long to create a population of several million brood females. genetically identical.

When Adriantsoa first worked for the invasive species control department of the University of Antananarivo in the capital, Madagascar, her team's goal was to stop the spread of marbled crayfish. She was highlighted on her ability to destroy ecosystems, eat fish larvae, displace native crayfish and destroy the nation's main food crop - rice.

Over time, things change gradually. No matter how hard it is, it must be admitted that this shrimp has had enough time to make wherever it goes into a new home. We have to find a way to live with them'', she said.

Together with conservation scientist Julia Jones - professor at Bangor University in Wales - Adriantsoa and an international team of female scientists launched the 'Perfect Invader' project to study the impact of this shrimp species on People. According to the results, marbled crayfish could be a source of low-cost, high-quality protein for Malagasy, one of the poorest countries in the world, where about 42 percent of children are stunted.

 Marbled crayfish can be a good source of high-quality protein.

The study also looked at their potential to tackle the transmission of schistosomiasis, which affects nearly 290 million people worldwide, including millions in Madagascar. The prospect is that this shrimp will eat freshwater snails, which are hosts of parasitic flatworms that cause acute and chronic disease.

In addition, working with Germany's largest research institute, the Helmholtz Association, Lyko is participating in a project to turn marbled crayfish shells high in chitin - a biofilm-forming agent - into plastic that can biodegradation. The project is expected to announce details this month.

According to Jones, the breed teaches her and other scientists to look at the bigger picture. 'On one hand we need to understand the negative ecological impact of marbled crayfish in Madagascar, but on the other hand we don't shy away from learning how to live smart alongside this invasive shrimp. It's there and it can't be removed,' she said.

At the same time, she emphasized preventing the spread of marbled crayfish to other areas. They are banned in the EU and UK, but some have suggested that some people may be keeping them illegally.

'They are spreading rapidly - they are already in Poland and will eventually be in the UK. I think the marbled crayfish will soon add its name to the list of the most feared invasive species alongside zebra mussels, cane toads and gray wolves," Jones said.