Hopefully this will be a good start for the young scholar.

The distinction between crayfish, crawfish, crawdads or any other nomenclature used to describe the delicious little crustacean comes not from physiological differences, but in the purpose towards which it is being used and the geographical setting of said endeavor. For example, if a certain redneck from Texas who happens to live and play in Wyoming wishes to trap “crawfish” out of the water hazards at the local golf course (ignoring the fact that it used to be an oil refinery) so that he can relive some of the college glory days by throwing a giant, southern style crawfish boil, but the course manager looks at the previously mentioned redneck confused and says “I don’t think we have any crawfish in those hazards, but boy howdy do we have lots of crayfish” the mudbugs in question instantly become crayfish and this Texan becomes a “Crayfish Removal Technician”. This explanation covers the geographical portion of the hypothesis, yet not the general use question. To understand this secondary principle of the initial supposition one only need to spend a weekend with a well seasoned smallmouth fisherman. On many an early Saturday morning in bass boats across America the words “take that pork chunk off your jig and throw on this crawdad” can be heard from grizzled men who have caught thousands of bass on “crawdads” made out of synthetic material by one of the many fine tackle manufacturing institutions in the world today, but have never actually referred to the live creature as anything other than a mudbug, crawfish, crayfish, ole googly eyes or dinner.

This is, of course, is a very limited explanation of a very complex and revolving theory with limitless variables to be tested. Perhaps it would be advantageous for a certain student to suggest that further testing of the hypothesis is necessary to fully comprehend the conundrum at hand. Preferably in a controlled environment which involves copious amounts of beer, boiled crawfish and fishing rods. Admission to the testing environment is open to the general public with no cover for girls scantily clad in bikinis and professors free with a report card containing an A for the appropriate class.

Tomato-Tomoto

Does anyone remember when Jethro was going to show the hippies in the park how to "smoke crawdads". That was a classic and always comes to mind when I hear "crawdad"

Don't be upset about it being a 'trick question'. There's a point in any training for almost any career that someone wants to find out if you're paying attention.

Someone in your class is going to have a doozy of a report about the differences.

When you are actually doing things for a living out there soon, it will be good to know that you, however, will never be caught in that trap.

It's not wasted time. Your Professor has a reason for this.

Send the student this link

http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201109101577?page=2

Its an article that talks about a new crayfish species discovered recently in the Greenbriar River system of WV...Within the article the scientist is quoted using crawdad and crayfish in the same sentense. I think he could use this quote to his advantage in his paper. Good luck on your paper if you are reading this too!!!

Down here in the deep south we call them all three of these name or the same mud bug. crawfish is the title we usually give them but the others fit also.

I use all three names. I don't know if its because my dad is from up north and my mom the south, but I'll change the names I use depending on my mood.

Crayfish is universal. Australia uses crayfish. crawfish is in websters and also refers to backward retreat. Any other references are slang from different ares of the country as already mentiioned. all in the spiny lobster family.

There all dad's bait or dinner.

"Grannie smokes crawdads all the time."

Knew a mechanic's wife who at a crawfish boil in Louisiana was pickin' at TWO crawfish. When I asked her what was wrong, she said, "In Oklahoma, this is bait." Meanwhile, on either side of her were Cajuns just chowing down on a HUGE PILE of crawfish. Guess it depends on where you're from, I suppose.

Agreeing with everyone else, the names seem to be local dialect for the same animal(s). Unless the professor is looking for specific differences between species of which there are over 300 in N America alone.

P.S. - Suzer: a sweet potato (native to the Americas) and a yam (native to Asia/Africa) are two completely different plants.

Well, to me a crawdad is something I use for fish bait. A crawfish is a critter that I like to eat. A crayfish is just a yankee name for a crawdad.

There are golf courses in Wyoming? We in the east think Wyoming is nothing but beautiful mountains, cougars, grazing cattle and long cold winters. Seriously; I need to get out more.

There is a GREAT restaurant near Jacksonvile FLA. (I think in Orange City or something similar), called CLARKS FISH CAMP. It has great taxidermy on the walls in the restaurant and serves the SWAMP SPECIAL with alligator, crawdads, bass, shrimp and rice. Hmmm good.

With apologies to the biologist out there (I was a CMPSC major): There has to be more than just dialect in crawdads, crayfish, That animal has been here too long and too hard to migrate between places too far apart, and I never heard of it being stocked. Genetically; Is it logical to assume that there has to be sub-species upon sub-species? Is that what the professor was after. Getting to students to ask why is there or is there not much differentiation between locations? Is the answer in the question grasshiopper?

I think you definately need to consult Jeff Foxworthy on this one. He'd have your answer!

Thank god they try to figure in Australia in the mix. Because they call them Yabies down under.

You are all wrong, wrong, wrong. Depends only on which school you went to. And what's more, the Australians call them Yabbies.

anyone else notice that crawdad247 is calling that a crayfish also buddy, I reckon, and Yall is a southern thing POP is a ........ wait who cares who says pop