CRAWDAD a.k.a. CRAWFISH or CRAYFISH or SPOONDOG or YABBIE (if you're Australian)

"Crayfish are very popular in French cooking where they’re called écrevisses. In the U.S., harvest comes from the waters of the Mississippi basin, and many Louisianans call their state the 'crawfish capital of the world.' Crayfish can be prepared in most manners appropriate for lobster and, like lobster, turn bright red when cooked. They're usually eaten with the fingers, and the sweet, succulent meat must be picked or sucked out of the tiny shells." (1)

For a very interesting site called "Crawdads: your friend and mine" go to: http://www.somaradio.ca/~minimalism/crawdad.html