The Tasmanian giant freshwater crayfish (Astacopsis gouldi), also called Tasmanian giant freshwater lobster, is the largest freshwater invertebrate and the largest freshwater crayfish species in the world. The species is only found in the rivers below above sea level in northern Tasmania, an island-state of Australia. It is listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List due to overfishing and habitat degradation, and it has been prohibited to catch the crayfish since 1998. The diet of the freshwater crayfish varies with age, but predominantly consists of decaying wood, leaves and their associated microbes. They may also eat small fish, insects, rotting animal flesh and other detritus when available. A. gouldi is very long-lived, surviving for up to 60 years. It has previously been reported to attain weights of up to and measure over long; however, in recent years the majority of larger specimens are . When fully mature the species has no natural predators due to its large size, while smaller individuals can be prey of platypus, river blackfish and rakali. Name Although a crayfish, the species is locally known as the giant freshwater lobster. In Tasmanian Aboriginal language (palawa kani) the giant freshwater lobster is referred to as lutaralipina. Previously, it has been common to use ‘tayatea’ as the Aboriginal name for A. gouldi. However, historical record does not support the use of this word for this species. The palawa kani Language Program of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre has revived ‘lutaralipina’ (pronounced: lu-tar-rah-lee-pee-nah) as the appropriate Tasmanian Aboriginal term for the giant freshwater crayfish (A. gouldi); and ‘tayatitja’ (pronounced: tie-yah-tee-tchah) for the small southern freshwater crayfish (A. franklinii). The specific epithet of the scientific name, Astacopsis gouldi, honours the first Tasmanian Government Geological Surveyor Charles Gould (1834-1893), son of the 19th century English ornithologist John Gould and natural history illustrator Elizabeth Gould (née Coxen). Charles Gould was an amateur naturalist and member of the Royal Society of Tasmania who published observations on the giant freshwater lobster's distribution, diet and habits in 1870. Astacopsis gouldi was first formally described in 1936 by Ellen Clark, a naturalist specialising in Australia's crustaceans. Prior to Clark's revision in 1936, all three of Tasmania's large stream-dwelling crayfish of the genus Astacopsis were collectively known as Astacopsis franklinii in honour of the polar explorer and Governor of Van Diemen's Land Sir John Franklin. Astacopsis franklinii now refers only to the smaller southern species,