European Shore Crab

The European shore crab (Carcinus maenas) has been found in South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia.

Habitat

  • Protected bays, tidal creeks and estuaries
  • Migrates between subtidal (to 6 metres) and intertidal zones
  • Seagrass, clear and sand areas, mud or under rocks

A European Shore Crab

Description

  • Two claws and eight legs
  • No flattened swimming flippers
  • Three spines between the eyes and five spines either side of the eyes on the front edge of the carapace
  • Colour can be green and black through to orange and red - small juveniles can be much paler in colour (almost sand-coloured)
  • Carapace up to 8 cm wide, but commonly 5 to 6 cm
  • Deeply sculptured broad triangular-shaped carapace which covers the back of the body

You can help

Early detection and monitoring by the community are vital tools in controlling the spread and minimising the impact of marine pests.

If you know what species are normally present in all marine habitats you can learn to recognise any unusual species or species showing an abnormal change in abundance. 

You might not be able to identify a particular organism as a new invading species based on its shape or colour, but you might notice that this new organism has rapidly overgrown rocks and shoreline that historically had been a diverse community of other types of marine life.


What to do if you find an introduced species

  • Record the location accurately (use Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates if possible)
  • Record the depth and type of bottom (eg sandy, rocky and so on)
  • Record how it was found, for example tangled in fishing tackle or anchor, drifting or sighted attached to a substrate
  • Collect a sample (except in an aquatic reserve) and store it in a plastic bag
  • Don’t throw any suspicious animal or weed back in the water
  • Report all sightings of suspected marine pests to the 24 hour FISHWATCH hotline on 1800 065 522