Asian shore crab

Photo credit: ©David Fenwick

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Hemigrapsus sanguineus - Asian shore crab

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Description:

• The carapace of H. sanguineus ranges from green to red, purple and orange brown. Its claws have red spots, and its legs have shaded bands. It is small in size, with a carapace width of 35-40mm. Both males and females have three spines on each side of the carapace; the males also have a fleshy bulb-like structure on their claws.
• They are a marine species, often found in rocky intertidal zones.

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Origin and Worldwide Distribution:

• This crab is native to the Pacific Ocean around China, Japan, Korea and Russia.
• It is an invasive species in Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United States of America and is now present in several areas of southern Britain.

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Potential or Known Impacts:

• This species can be highly reproductively successful as females are likely to produce over 50,000 eggs at a time; this can lead to outbreeding native crustacean species.
• They are also a fast growing and long lived species; they are also highly mobile and may be transported accidently by humans or by water currents.
• These crabs also can adapt to a wide range of habitats and food sources.

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How did it/could it get here?

• This species may be transported in planktonic life stages or adult stages in ballast water. The planktonic life stages and small instars may go undetected.

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Is it found in Northern Ireland?

• It is not present in Northern Ireland.

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You can help by reporting any sightings: @ the Centre for Environmental Data & Recording (CEDaR) - Or via the iRecord App.

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Methods for Prevention:

• Do not accidentally introduce as a hitchhiker
• Make sure that all equipment is cleaned before moving between different water bodies see Check Clean Dry/Stop The Spread
• Do not move water from one water body to another
• Report all sightings

For further queries, you can contact the Invasive Non Native Species (INNS) Team in the Northern Ireland Environment Agency on 028 9056 9558 or Email: invasivespecies@daera-ni.gov.uk    

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