Rare electric blue crayfish spotted off WA coast

A species of rare electric blue-coloured crayfish have been spotted by fishermen off the coast of Western Australia.

These oddly coloured crayfish with their blue hue aren’t a common sight in the wild, but their numbers are slowly growing as people begin to farm them.

Bright blue marron aren’t a new type of crayfish, they’re a result of a genetic mutation and are the same species as black and brown marron.

The crustaceans are a commonly found in the South West and Great Southern regions of Western Australia.

Like blue eyes in humans, the marron’s distinctive colour is a result of a recessive gene.

‘If you mate two blue marron you will get blue progeny,’ Craig Lawrence, a research scientist with the Department of Fisheries told The Albany Advertiser.

‘But if you mate a black and a blue you will get mainly black progeny and if you mate those progeny together you will get some blues too.’

Their beautiful colour means the sea creature is a popular addition to fish tanks and aquariums.

But they’re not a popular choice in the kitchen, turning an orange colour when cooked.

‘Restaurants prefer the dark black or brown marron because they cook up a bright red,’ Dr Lawrence said.

Marron is the name given to two species of crayfish found in Western Australia and they are considered a luxury seafood.

Source: Electric blue crayfish spotted off WA coast | Daily Mail Online