Rapu
- Language
- Finnish
- Transliteration
- Rapu
- IPA
- /ˈrɑpu/
Borrowed from Swedish krabba (crab) via the earlier Finnish form krapu ↳ From Old Norse krabbi (crab) ↳ From Proto-Germanic *krabbô (crab, literally the scratching one) ↳ From Proto-Indo-European *grobʰ- (to crawl, scratch) Cognate with Estonian krabi, Ingrian/Votic krapu. The initial kr- cluster was reduced to r- in modern Finnish; the older form krapu is now archaic.
Most common European crayfish (also called noble crayfish). Native to fresh waters from France through Central Europe to the Balkans, with northern populations in Scandinavia, Finland, and Eastern Europe. Restricted to unpolluted streams, rivers, and lakes; prefers sandy substrates. Keystone species in its ecosystems. Listed as vulnerable (IUCN) — populations reduced to ~5% by crayfish plague carried by invasive North American signal crayfish.