For Crayfish Keepers/Breeders: Glair Glands

[black_sun]

This something I've mentioned to various members in posts (usually breeding topics), but never really had a picture to help illustrate my description:


Glair Glands

Glair glands are visible on a female crayfish only after she is sexually mature. The glair glands become visible prior to egg laying (whether she has mated or not), and are located on the underside of the abdomen and tail fan. The glair glands release a mucus-like substance called glair, which is used to attach the eggs to the swimmerets.

Prior to laying eggs, the glair glands enlarge extensively and create creamy/milky patches, most notably visible on the tail (see below picture):

(the white "petal" like patches are the glair glands)


Side Notes:

1.) Glair glands are not always visible. Some crayfish do not display the patches well or their coloration mutes them out. So, you may not always be able to see them.

2.) A female can mate when her glair glands are not visible (no relation to the prior note), but she is more likely to be the aggressor and pursue the male when they are visible. Rather than shying away or even fighting with an over zealous male suitor.


*Many thanks to my lil' Procambarus clarkii, whose glair glands are very vivid this week.

 

[Otto_VonBacon]

That's pretty cool, i'll keep an eye out.

What about infertal hybrids? would they have glair glands?
My say is yes...

 

[Yabbadoo]

Very interesting.
I thought I saw a chick flashing her glair glands at me the other day....lol......j/k

These glands are the 2 white spots either side of the center fan???
Sorry but my eyes arn't the best.....

 

[black_sun]

That's pretty cool, i'll keep an eye out.

What about infertal hybrids? would they have glair glands?
My say is yes...

I would suspect they have the glands, and just that either the sperm or eggs are infertile. But they hybridization shouldn't be eliminating glands, organs, etc all together.

Think Blood Parrots, they still breed even though the male is effectively shooting blanks due to hybridizations. Everything is still there and working, well functioning... it's not really working or there'd be fry, heh.

 

[black_sun]

Very interesting.
I thought I saw a chick flashing her glair glands at me the other day....lol......j/k

These glands are the 2 white spots either side of the center fan???
Sorry but my eyes arn't the best.....

...... Yabba, you're a strange one, dear.

And yes, the white spots on the fan segments on either side.

 

[Danger_Chicken]

I can't tell form teh pick, is that the underside of the tail?

 

[black_sun]

I can't tell form teh pick, is that the underside of the tail?

Yes, though glair glands are visible from both sides of the tail.

 

[black_sun]

Another female with glair glands showing (orange P. clarkii):

 

[cymrufem]

The clarkii's glands are glairingly obvious ....sorry couldn't resist!