VLIZ Alien Species Consortium (2022). Callinectes sapidus. Niet-inheemse soorten in het Belgisch deel van de Noordzee en omliggende estuaria = Non-indigenous species from the Belgian part of the North Sea and estuaria. VLIZ Alien Species Consortium (VLIZ): Oostende. Diff. pag. pp.
Part of: Niet-inheemse soorten in het Belgisch deel van de Noordzee en omliggende estuaria = Non-indigenous species from the Belgian part of the North Sea and estuaria. VLIZ Alien Species Consortium (VLIZ): Ostend. ISSN 2983-5518
Related to:
VLIZ Alien Species Consortium (2020). Callinectes sapidus - Blauwe zwemkrab, in: Verleye, T. et al.Niet-inheemse soorten in het Belgisch deel van de Noordzee en aanpalende estuaria. VLIZ Special Publication, 86: pp. 169-174, more
The blue crab Callinectes sapidus is a species of crab native to the Atlantic coast of America. The species is found in shallow estuaries, with only the female individuals migrating to the sea to lay their eggs. After hatching, the juveniles migrate to estuaries. In 1973, the first living specimen was observed in the Western Scheldt, near Terneuzen. The first observations in Belgium (1981 at Antwerp (dead individual) and 1993 at Doel)) were in cooling water systems. Presumably, this species got introduced through the ballast water of ships. It is more than likely that low winter temperatures prevent an explosive increase of this species in our area.
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