Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus)
Blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) photographed at El Hondo on 15 October 2025
This Crab is a native to the western Atlantic Ocean, from Nova Scotia to Argentina, including the Gulf of Mexico. There It is highly valued in its native range as a commercial and recreational fishery species.
But, the species was first detected in Spain in 2012, in the Ebro Delta (Catalonia), and has since spread rapidly along the Mediterranean coast (especially in Valencia, Murcia, and Andalusia). The blue crab has become highly invasive in Spanish coastal lagoons, estuaries, and river mouths.Predation on native fauna: It feeds on fish, mollusks, and crustaceans, threatening native species such as clams and other crabs.
The blue crab has become highly invasive in Spanish coastal lagoons, estuaries, and river mouths. Out competes native crabs and other benthic organisms for food and habitat. Predation on native fauna: It feeds on fish, mollusks, and crustaceans, threatening native species such as clams and other crabs. Ecosystem disruption: Alters food webs and sediment composition due to its burrowing and feeding behavior.
Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus)
Blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) photographed at El Hondo on 15 October 2025
This Crab is a native to the western Atlantic Ocean, from Nova Scotia to Argentina, including the Gulf of Mexico. There It is highly valued in its native range as a commercial and recreational fishery species.
But, the species was first detected in Spain in 2012, in the Ebro Delta (Catalonia), and has since spread rapidly along the Mediterranean coast (especially in Valencia, Murcia, and Andalusia). The blue crab has become highly invasive in Spanish coastal lagoons, estuaries, and river mouths.Predation on native fauna: It feeds on fish, mollusks, and crustaceans, threatening native species such as clams and other crabs.
The blue crab has become highly invasive in Spanish coastal lagoons, estuaries, and river mouths. Out competes native crabs and other benthic organisms for food and habitat. Predation on native fauna: It feeds on fish, mollusks, and crustaceans, threatening native species such as clams and other crabs. Ecosystem disruption: Alters food webs and sediment composition due to its burrowing and feeding behavior.