Chinese Mitten Crab Sightings

During the Autumn, sightings of the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis), an invasive non-native species increase. First recorded in the river Thames in the 1930s, they are easily identifiable by their white tipped, furry claws and the four lateral teeth along their carapace.

The Chinese mitten crab was first recorded in the river Thames in the 1930s. Juveniles are often spotted on land as they migrate downstream to waters of higher salinity, where they become mature and breed. The female crabs will spawn three to four times, each time releasing 500,000 – 1 million eggs. These eggs will hatch in the following spring and the juvenile crabs will then migrate upstream to freshwater, where they spend most of their lives.

The Chinese mitten crab’s burrowing behaviour can cause damage to the local habitat and they may outcompete native species, it is therefore important that sightings are recorded with iNaturalist to enable scientists to monitor their spread.

For more information please see https://www.mba.ac.uk/help-track-the-spread-of-the-invasive-chinese-mitten-crab-in-the-uk/.

Posted on 16 October, 2024 08:55 by julbun