engleski

The occurrence of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 (Crustacea, Brachyura, Portunidae) in the eastern Adriatic (Croatian coast)

On 15 October 2004, four specimens of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus were caught near Ston (Pelješac peninsula, south-eastern Adriatic) in a hypersaline lagoon (salt ponds) at a depth of 0.50 m. One other specimen was caught in the Neretva River estuary on 1 October 2004 at a depth of 7 m, and a second one on 6 December 2006 at a depth of 5 m. The records from this study are the first records of this species from the eastern Adriatic coast and confirm the spreading of this species throughout the Adriatic Sea. The present records of the blue crab in the eastern Adriatic, however, do not allow any reliable comments to be made regarding whether or not the species has established a population in the area. In any event, the impact of a possible successful colonization of this region by this and other exotic species would, at least, represent a significant change in the composition of the native fauna.

Callinectes sapidus; first record; Adriatic Sea

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