what are crawdads

Crawdads are freshwater crustaceans commonly known as crayfish or crawfish. They resemble tiny lobsters and live in rivers, streams, ponds, and other freshwater habitats. The names vary by region: “crayfish” is widely used in many places, “cr crawdad” or “crawdad” is common in parts of the United States, and “crawfish” is another frequently used term. They are a diverse group with hundreds of species, most of which inhabit North America, Europe, and parts of Asia and Africa. They play important roles in freshwater ecosystems as scavengers and as prey for fish, birds, and other wildlife. In culinary contexts, they are especially popular in Southern U.S. cuisine and are typically boiled, steamed, or sautéed, with meat harvested from the tail, claws, and body.