New records of the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis H. Milne Edwards, 1853, from the Volga River, Russia

Abstract

Rhithropanopeus harrisii (Gould, 1841) is an estuarine crab native to the East Coast of North America. This species has invaded both the West Coast of the United States and several European countries since the late 1800s where it has reportedly altered native ecosystems. This crab can tolerate a broad range of salinities and temperatures, which probably contributes to its success as an invader. In 1969, five specimens of R. harrisii were recorded in Panama, but subsequent surveys suggest it was not established. Here, evidence is reported of an established, reproducing population of R. harrisii in the Panama Canal. The crab's entire distribution within this waterway remains to be determined and potential changes in its ecology, especially given the imminent expansion of the Canal, need to be evaluated.

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

“…In the Caspian Sea basin E. sinensis is known from the Volga River, possibly since the 1970s (Shakirova et al , 2007 and earlier references therein). From 1995 until 2007 this crab was regularly sighted mainly in reservoirs and in the delta of the Volga River (Shakirova et al , 2007, and earlier references therein) (Figure 2) and in a river on the Iranian coast (Robbins et al , 2006).…”

“…Most of the records in the eastern and central Baltic (Normant et al , 2002; Ojaveer et al , 2007) and in the White Sea basin (collection of ZIN RAS) consist of large specimens, including ovigerous females (Normant et al , 2002). The specimens found inland are also large; one sighting of an ovigerous female was reported from the inland reservoir of Rybinsk of the Volga River (Shakirova et al , 2007). Larvae have not been recorded from the central or eastern Baltic (Ojaveer et al , 2007); accordingly there are no published records of larvae in the southern seas of East Europe.…”

“…Otto & Brandis (2011) also presented evidence of possible reproduction of E. sinensis in the Kiel Fjord in the western Baltic. Few papers (Shakirova et al , 2007; Berezina & Petryashov, 2012) discuss the possible mechanism of introduction of E. sinensis into the watersheds of East Europe. Berezina & Petryashov (2012) suggest that a possible vector of introduction could be with ballast water release in the estuary region of the Bay of Finland and the White Sea.…”

“…Berezina & Petryashov (2012) suggest that a possible vector of introduction could be with ballast water release in the estuary region of the Bay of Finland and the White Sea. Shakirova et al (2007: 171) proposed that ‘mature mitten crabs are being transported through the calm European waterways as hull fouling on slow moving vessels such as barges’ and point to several indications of such a vector. The specimens found in the Ladoga and Onega Lakes could thus originate from the Gulf of Finland and enter these big lakes via migration and shipping vectors (Panov, 2006; Berezina & Petryashov, 2012).…”

“…These were either records of particular species (often discussed later in subsequent papers published in reviewed journals, i.e. Shakirova et al , 2007; Berezina & Petryashov, 2012, or thesis, i.e. Anosov, 2016), or papers on the Kamchatka and snow crabs that have originated from fishery research; mostly done by the Russian Federal Institute of Fishery and Oceanography (VNIRO) and N.M. Knipovich Polar Institute of Fishery and Oceanography (PINRO).…”