The Growth of Crayfish, which Serves as an Indicator of Clean and Healthy Water Ecosystems in the Mediterranean Region

Abstract

The narrow-fingered freshwater crayfish, also known as Pontastacus leptodactylus in scientific terms and referred to as such in Turkish, is a prevalent species in the inland waters of the Mediterranean region. This crayfish serves as an indicator of clean and healthy water ecosystems due to its high sensitivity to pollution and environmental changes. Its presence signals the maintenance of water quality and a balanced ecosystem. In a study on 283 freshwater crayfish in Hirfanlı Dam Lake during July and August 2023, it was observed that 53.36% were male and 46.64% were female. Length ranged from 80.44 mm to 121.11 mm, and weight varied between 11.61 g and 43.93 g. Average length and weight for males were 95.9874 ± 6.4603 mm and 24.1861 ± 5.3696 g, for females were 95.0981 ± 5.5519 mm and 21.5193 ± 3.4488 g, and for combined sexes were 95.5724 ± 6.0594 mm and 22.9422 ± 4.7579 g. The length-weight relationship (LWR) was established for females (W=0.00166359 ×TL2.0767), males (W=0.00019587×TL2.5651), and all individuals (W=0.00037111 ×TL2.4162). Exponential values "b" for LWR were 2.0767 (r2=0.993), 2.5651 (r2=0.986), and 2.4162 (r2=0.987), respectively. The study compared traditional LWR approaches with artificial intelligence methods for growth analysis, suggesting the latter as a viable alternative in assessing freshwater crayfish growth in aquatic systems.