Astacopsis

{{Short description|Genus of crayfishes}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = Sketchbook of fishes - 34. Fresh water crayfish William Buelow Gould, c1832.jpg

| image_caption = Watercolour of Astacopsis tricornis from "Sketchbook of fishes" by WB Gould

| display_parents = 2

| taxon = Astacopsis

| authority = Huxley, 1879

| subdivision_ranks = Species

| subdivision =

| type_species =

| synonyms =

| range_map = Astacopsis distribution.svg

| range_map_caption = Astacopsis distribution

}}

Astacopsis is a genus of crayfish endemic to the island of Tasmania. There are three extant species, Astacopsis gouldi, Astacopsis franklinii, and Astacopsis tricornis. All are threatened by illegal harvesting,{{cite iucn |author=Walsh, T. |author2=Doran, N. |date=2010 |title=Astacopsis gouldi |volume=2010 |page=e.T2190A9337732 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T2190A9337732.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}{{cite iucn |author=Hamr, P. |date=2010 |title=Astacopsis franklinii |volume=2010 |page=e.T153687A4532072 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T153687A4532072.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}{{cite iucn |author=Hamr, P. |date=2010 |title=Astacopsis tricornis |volume=2010 |page=e.T153640A4525358 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T153640A4525358.en |access-date=11 November 2021}} and A. gouldi is protected by law. A. franklinii is found in the eastern half of the island, with A. tricornis taking its place in the west. A. gouldi is found only in rivers draining into the Bass Strait, except for the Tamar River.

The three species were named by naturalist Ellen Clark in 1936.{{Cite journal|last=Clark|first=Ellen|date=1938|title=The freshwater and land crayfish of Australia|journal=Memoirs of the National Museum, Melbourne|volume=10|pages=5–58|doi=10.24199/j.mmv.1936.10.01|issn=0311-9548|doi-access=free}} Prior to Clark's revision, all three species were collectively known as Astacopsis franklinii.{{Cite journal|last=Mulhern|first=TD|date=2018|title=Correcting misconceptions about the names applied to Tasmania's giant freshwater crayfish Astacopsis gouldi (Decapoda: Parastacidae)|journal=Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania|volume=152|pages=21–26|doi=10.26749/rstpp.152.21|doi-access=free}}{{Cite web|url=http://taxonomicon.taxonomy.nl/Reference.aspx?id=4340|title=J.E. Gray, 1845. In Eyre, E.J. Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central Australia, and Overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound, in the Years 1840-41. T. & W. Boone, London. - Reference Details - The Taxonomicon|website=taxonomicon.taxonomy.nl|access-date=2019-07-19}} The most famous depiction of a crayfish of the genus Astacopsis is in the "Sketchbook of fishes" by convict artist William Buelow Gould, painted at the Macquarie Harbour penal station circa 1832. Based on the location of observation and morphology evident in the image the specimen Gould painted was A. tricornis.{{Cite journal|last=Hamr|first=P.|date=1992|title=A revision of the Tasmanian freshwater crayfish genus Astacopsis Huxley (Decapoda: Parastacidae)|journal=Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania|language=en|volume=126|pages=91–94|doi=10.26749/rstpp.126.91|issn=0080-4703|doi-access=free}}

Contrary to popular belief, A. gouldi was not named after WB Gould, but was named by Ellen Clark after the first Tasmanian Government Geological Surveyor Charles Gould, who published observations on giant freshwater crayfish distribution, diet and habits in 1870.{{Cite journal|last=Gould|first=Charles|date=1870|title=On the distribution and habits of the large fresh-water crayfish (Astacus sp.) of the northern rivers of Tasmania|url=https://eprints.utas.edu.au/15081/|journal=Monthly Notices of Papers & Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania|language=en|pages=42–44}}