Since this has come up a couple of times I did a search. Since Crawfish are basically small lobsters I think the same info applies. http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=266379 The answer is, maybe. [rquoter]"As an invertebrate zoologist who has studied crustaceans for a number of years, I can tell you the lobster has a rather sophisticated nervous system that, among other things, allows it to sense actions that will cause it harm. … [Lobsters] can, I am sure, sense pain." —Jaren G. Horsley, Ph.D. [/rqouter] [rquoter]The nervous system of a lobster is very simple – not unlike that of an insect. Neither insects nor lobsters have brains. For an organism to perceive pain it must have a more complex nervous system. Neurophysiologists tell us that lobsters, like insects, do not process pain. [/rquoter] For anyone concerned about horrible crustacean suffering this might put you at ease. [rquoter]But, for the sake of argument, let's say they do feel pain exactly like humans do. Because of their relatively small size and the fact that they're ectothermic, the boiling water would kill them in seconds. So even if they doo feel pain, it's pretty quick compared to being ripped apart or swallowd whole as would happen to them in nature. By boiling them, you're being merciful! [/rquoter]
every organism HAS to feel some sort of "pain", it's key to survival. if an organism doesn't feel pain then it is an evolutionary defect and natural selection will ensure this trait is eliminated.
If I cut your face off, I'm assuming you wouldn't notice when I threw you into a pot of boiling water.
I'm having a really slow day at work. To answer the questions about mussels, other bivalves and invertebrates here is the official findings as presented to the Canadian Parliament. http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/372/lega/witn/shelly-e.htm [rquoter]Conclusions Although it is impossible to know the subjective experience of another animal with certainty, the balance of the evidence suggests that most invertebrates do not feel pain. The evidence is most robust for insects, and, for these animals, the consensus is that they do not feel pain6.[/rquoter] It also answers Ipaman's comment regarding pain and evolution. [rquoter]1. The evolutionary function of pain. In vertebrates pain is thought to be an important educational tool6. Vertebrates are relatively long-lived creatures and learning shapes much of their behaviour. Learning from pain (and pleasure) plays a vital role in the development of their behaviour6. Almost all invertebrates are short-lived and their behaviour is thought to be largely genetically determined7. Therefore, there is less evolutionary pressure selecting for the evolution of pain in this group of animals6.[/rquoter] I can only presume that this study was undertaken to see if throwing octupi onto the ice during a hockey game was considered cruel but based on these findings it appears not. At least in Canada invertebrates can be considered to not feel pain and I will plan my next seafood boil in Saskatoon.
