The crayfish plague fungus (Aphanomyces astaci) in Spain

Abstract

Since 1978 there has been a series of outbreaks of crayfish plague fungus, Aphanomyces astaci in Spain. As a result, most populations of the native freshwater crayfish species, Austropotamobius pallipes, have been devastated by this disease. This paper describes the steady spread of the crayfish plague through populations of A. pallipes since 1978 and the present situation of the crayfish plague. Thus, the first diagnosis of this disease since 1978 and the first isolation of A. astaci from A. pallipes in Spain are also presented.