European Green Crab

Scientific name: Carcinus maenas (Linnaeus, 1758)

Common names: European green crab, shore crab, Joe rocker

Native To: Europe (Carlton and Cohen 2003)

Date of U.S. Introduction: 1817 (East Coast); 1980s (West Coast) (Carlton and Cohen 2003)

Images: Google

Video: Vital Signs Group Maine - Green Crab (or click Play button below)

Means of Introduction: Possibly through ballast water, hull fouling, or intentional releases (Carlton and Cohen 2003)

Impact: Preys on bivalves and other crustaceans, such as soft-shell clams and scallops (Grosholz and Ruiz 2002)

Current U.S. Distribution: North Atlantic coast; Pacific Coast

Management Plans: Aquatic Species / European Green Crab

Selected Internet Resources:

• Federal Government
• State Government
• University/Academic
• International
• Organizations

European Green Crab
Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force.
Identification/Description; Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts

Carcinus maenas
Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
Taxonomy

Harmful Non-Native Species: Issues for Congress VII (Apr 8, 1999)
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Introduction History; Impacts

Carcinus maenas - National Exotic Marine and Estuarine Species Information System, Chesapeake Bay Introduced Species Database
Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Special Note: Green Crab Research

Carcinus maenas Article Citation Search - AGRICOLA Database
USDA. National Agricultural Library.
Research; Special Note: NAL Catalog Search (resources)

Marine Invasive Species: Carcinus maenas (PDF | 563 KB)
DOI. NPS. Natural Resource Program Center.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Photographs; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution

Aquatic Nuisance Species
Alaska Fish and Wildlife Service.
Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution; Special Note: Includes contact information.

European Green Crab
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Aquatic Nuisance Species.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Research

Trapping Results of Green Crabs (Carcinus maenas) in Elkhorn Slough
Colorado State University. Fishery and Wildlife Biology.
Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution; Controls; Research;
Special Note: Report to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Contract Number 40ABNC901298

Aquatic Invaders: European Green Crab - Aquatic Invader Toolkit (PDF | 663 KB)
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant.
Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Green Crab - Exotic Aquatics on the Move
National Sea Grant Network and Geographic Education Alliances.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution; Controls

Prevention of Introduction of the European Green Crab Carcinus maenas to the Marine Environments of Hawaii: Methods to Avoid Marine Invasions
University of Hawaii.
Identification/Description; Introduction History; Impacts; Controls

An Endless Invasion? Green Crabs, New England Intruders, Move West - Maryland Marine Notes (Mar-Apr 1996)
Maryland Sea Grant College.
Photographs; Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution; Controls

European Green Crab - Introduced Species Summary Project
Columbia University. Center for Environmental Research and Conservation.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Controls

The Green Crab Invasion: A Global Perspective, with Lessons from Washington State
Evergreen State College.
Identification/Description; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Distribution; Controls

Green Crab
Washington Sea Grant.
Identification/Description; Introduction History; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion

Carcinus maenas - Invasive Species Compendium
Centre for Agricultural Bioscience International (CABI).
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Carcinus maenas (crustacean) - ISSG Global Invasive Species Database
World Conservation Union. Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Carcinus maenas
Discover Life.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Species: European Green Crab (Carcinus maenas)
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. Aquatic Nuisance Species.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Distribution; Dispersion; Legal Aspects; Special Note: Bibliography

Green Crab Fact Sheet - Non-Indigenous Aquatic Species of Concern for Alaska (PDF | 158 KB)
Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Dispersion; Controls

Carcinus maenas - Guide to Marine Invaders in the Gulf of Maine (PDF | 680 KB)
Salem Sound Coastwatch. Marine Introduced Species Monitoring Resource Center.
Identification/Description; Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution

Carcinus maenas - Guide to the Exotic Species of San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Estuary Institute.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion

Temperate Shores: European Green Crabs
Sustainable Ecosystems Institute.
Introduction History; Impacts; Research

Citations

Carlton, J.T. and A.N. Cohen. 2003. Episodic global dispersal in shallow water marine organisms: the case history of the European shore crabs Carcinus maenas and C. aestuarii. Journal of Biogeography 30(12):1809-1820.

Grosholz, E. and G. Ruiz. 2002. Management Plan for the European Green Crab (PDF | 517 KB) Submitted to the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force.