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Know Your Marron
A marron is crayfish, first of all. It has ten legs, the first pair modified into it's pincers. Sometimes called a freshwater lobster, as the two are very similar; the biggest difference is that lobsters live in saltwater. But both are delicious.
Smooth Marron Cherax cainii
This is the most common form of marron. It is the third largest species of crayfish, originally found only in rivers in the southwest corner of Australia. It has since been spread to other rivers in Australia. It is farmed there as well as caught wild from the rivers, locally referred to as 'marroning.'
Hairy Marron Cherax tenuimanus
Endemic to the Margaret River system, named for the 'hair' which grow on its shell. It's endangered and threatened by crossing with the smooth marron which has been introduced into the river. Fishing for marron in the Margaret River is currently prohibited.
Queensland Marron (Red Claw Crayfsh) Cherax quadricarinatus
The red-claw crayfish is originally from Queensland, Australia, although now it is now found in many places. It's more of a subtropical species and is intolerant of cooler temperatures. Probably the fourth largest species, it has been farmed through out the world in recent years. In the late '90's and early 2000's there was some speculation as to this being the next big thing and many people invested in red-claw operations. People soon discovered that the market prices were lower than expected and as a result many of the farms went out of business.