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UP: IMPORTING THE JAPANESE SHORE CRAB
Also known as Hemigrapsus
sanguineus, this Japanese import was released from ballast water in
New Jersey around 1987 and has since pushed its way north into Massachusetts
and south into North Carolina. An omnivore with an appetite for young clams,
scallops, oysters, algae, fish larvae, and many other species, these crabs
may well pose a threat to New England ecosystems and aquaculture operations.
The Japanese shore crab measures 2 to 3 inches across and has a square-shaped
shell with three spines on each side. Its claws have red spots, and its
legs have alternating light and dark bands. Depending on its location,
this crab can range from a mottled, deep brown to purple, orange, green,
and pink.
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