In situ observations and census of invasive mud crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii (Crustacea: Decapoda: Panopeidae) applied in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov

Understanding and forecasting dispersal of non-indigenous marine decapods (Crustacea: Decapoda) in East European and North Asian waters

“…In contrast to this, the distribution pattern in the eastern Black Sea is different and is dominated by localized discontinuous populations associated with river estuaries and probably harbours (Zalota et al , 2016a; Figure 3). Localized discontinuous populations of R. harrisii are also presently characteristic for the Baltic (Kotta & Ojaveer, 2012; Fowler et al , 2013; Hegele-Drywa et al , 2015; Figure 4).…”

“…In the Sea of Azov the Harris mud crab was first observed in the Taganrog Bay in 1948 (Mordukhai-Boltovskoi, 1952). However taking into account the duration of World War II (1941–1945) a difference of 11 years between the finding time of the species in the north-western Black Sea and in the Sea of Azov has to be taken with caution (Zalota et al , 2016a). By the 1950s Harris mud crab became a common species throughout the Sea of Azov (Reznichenko, 1967).…”

“…In the eastern and southern Black Sea, first populations of R. harrisii have been discovered in the estuaries of the Vulan and Shapsukho Rivers and the Bugaz Liman (Krasnodar area of Russia) in 2012–2013 (Zalota et al , 2016a) and in the estuary of the river Tuapse in 2016 (G.A. Kolyuchkina and U.V.…”

“…In the Sea of Azov, the Harris mud crab distribution pattern appears to be nearly continuous over the entire basin, including the northern part of Kerch Strait and the Taman Bay (Figure 3). There, this species occurs practically everywhere at various depth (0–10 m) and habitats, with the exception of oxygen depleted mud habitats in the deepest (10 m and deeper) area (Mordukhai-Boltovskoi, 1952; Reznichenko, 1967; Makarevich et al , 2000; Sergeeva & Burkatsky, 2002; Ivanov & Sinegub, 2008; Nabozhenko et al , 2010; Zalota et al , 2016a). In some areas, i.e.…”

“…Within the areas of its distribution Harris mud crabs shows a highly opportunistic habitat choice. In the Azov and Black Seas the populated habitats include practically all existing types of substrate from muddy sediments to sand with shell debris and stones, in the seagrass meadows and between roots of reed, or without aquatic vegetation at all (Zalota et al , 2016a). In the Baltic, they live on: various plant debris; mud and sand with shell; and among Fucus macroalgae on hard bottom (Turoboyski, 1973; Fowler et al , 2013), which has been its preferred habitat during the experiments performed by Nurkse et al .…”