Crawzilla was not the biggest crayfish ever measured in North America. A 2026 study found a Tennessee bottlebrush crayfish with a carapace length of 86.6 millimeters, surpassing the 77.5-millimeter specimen that became famous as Crawzilla. The same survey suggests that unusually large North American crayfish cluster near an apparent 80-millimeter ceiling—but the researchers stress that this is a hypothesis, not a proven biological maximum.
The new North American record
The larger specimen is a Tennessee bottlebrush crayfish (Barbicambarus simmonsi) collected in Lawrence, Tennessee, in 2011 by Zac Loughman and West Liberty University students. It is housed in the West Liberty University Astacology Collection and measures 86.6 millimeters in total carapace length.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
That measurement covers the dorsal body section from the tip of the rostrum to the joint between the thorax and abdomen. It excludes the tail, claws and antennae, so it should not be confused with the animal’s full extended length or weight.
Crawzilla is the common name given to a male Lacunicambarus chimera collected by Caitlin Bloomer during a May 2023 bioblitz near Bear Creek in Edmonson County, Kentucky. Its carapace measured 77.5 millimeters. Bloomer initially thought she had caught the largest crayfish anyone had seen, but a colleague who examined it immediately pointed out that museum specimens might be larger.
#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
“They all seemed to max out around that 80-millimeter mark, but we weren’t sure why, especially given that there are absolutely massive crayfish in other parts of the world,” Bloomer said.
How the researchers measured the specimens
The team searched nine major North American crayfish collections, reviewed candidate series and curator annotations, and used calipers to measure 60 unusually large specimens. Measurements were recorded to the nearest 0.1 millimeter. The researchers then tabulated the 20 largest individuals, representing 18 species, along with each specimen’s species, collection year, locality, museum and catalog number.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
This design is useful for finding a possible size pattern, but it is not a census of every crayfish population. The sample was deliberately enriched for exceptional animals, and museum collections reflect where people collected, which habitats they sampled and which specimens were preserved.
Crawzilla and the record specimen compared
| Specimen | Species | Locality | Collection date | Carapace length | Measurement basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record North American specimen | Tennessee bottlebrush crayfish (Barbicambarus simmonsi) | Lawrence, Tennessee | 2011 | 86.6 mm | Total carapace length, measured dorsally from rostrum tip to thorax-abdomen joint |
| Crawzilla | Lacunicambarus chimera | Bear Creek, Edmonson County, Kentucky | May 2023 | 77.5 mm | Total carapace length, measured by the same method |
Because both figures use the same anatomical measurement, the Tennessee specimen is directly longer in carapace length by 9.1 millimeters. That establishes a larger measured North American individual; it does not mean the Tennessee species is 9.1 millimeters longer in total body length, because neither figure includes the tail, claws or antennae.
Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Is 80 millimeters a true maximum?
The 20 largest specimens clustered around an apparent 80-millimeter carapace-length ceiling. Environmental and geographic candidates—including latitude, temperature, oxygen availability, habitat type, evolutionary lineage and collection year—did not explain the pattern well in this dataset.
The authors therefore point to possible physiological limits. Large bodies require muscles capable of moving them and an exoskeleton that can support and protect them, while molting and energy demands may become increasingly difficult at larger sizes. Those mechanisms remain proposals, not demonstrated causes. Ecological effects may also contribute.
Rank #4
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
- The study does not prove that a North American crayfish cannot exceed 80 millimeters.
- The 86.6-millimeter specimen itself shows that the apparent cluster is not a hard cutoff.
- The selected museum sample cannot establish the largest individual in every river, lake or species.
- Future tests could examine metabolic rates, muscle structure, exoskeleton properties and local ecological conditions.
In other words, 80 millimeters is a research lead: a repeated pattern that needs testing with broader, systematically collected data.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Why the Tasmanian giant is a different comparison
North American records should not be presented as a worldwide crayfish maximum. The Tasmanian giant freshwater crayfish (Astacopsis gouldi) is a much larger species. An Australian government recovery plan describes it as the world’s largest freshwater crustacean and reports weights of up to 6 kilograms. The 2026 Ecology paper cites a maximum total carapace length of 147 millimeters.
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
| Species | Geography | Reported measurement | What the figure represents | Evidence context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbicambarus simmonsi | Tennessee, United States | 86.6 mm carapace length | One museum specimen collected in 2011 | Largest measured individual in the North American survey |
| Lacunicambarus chimera (“Crawzilla”) | Kentucky, United States | 77.5 mm carapace length | One male collected in May 2023 | Formerly publicized as the largest known specimen before the collection survey |
| Astacopsis gouldi | Tasmania, Australia | 147 mm total carapace length; up to 6 kg reported weight | Species-level maximum figures cited from scientific and government sources | Worldwide comparison, not part of the North American museum sample |
The Tasmanian figures use the same broad carapace concept for the length comparison, but the 6-kilogram value is a weight, not a length. Mixing the units would make the animals appear directly comparable when they are not.
What this discovery changes
The result turns a memorable field find into a broader biological question. Bloomer’s Crawzilla specimen prompted researchers to look across collections rather than treating one remarkable catch as the endpoint. That search found two exceptionally large specimens in the West Liberty University collection, including the new North American record.
The finding also shows why natural-history collections remain scientifically valuable. A crayfish preserved in 2011 can answer a question that arose from a 2023 field observation, allowing researchers to test whether an apparent record is genuinely unusual or simply the largest animal encountered by chance.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteFor now, the careful conclusion is narrow: the Tennessee bottlebrush crayfish is the largest measured North American specimen in this study, Crawzilla is second among the highlighted animals, and North American crayfish in the selected sample tended to gather near 80 millimeters of carapace length. Whether physiology, ecology or a combination of factors sets that pattern will require new measurements and experiments.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
