Chinese Mitten CrabEriocheir sinensis

• Kingdom: Animalia• Phylum: Arthropoda• Class: MalacostracaK

Were It Came From• Originally from China

Main source of water found in:

• Yangtze River

Where Has It Been Sighted

• Greenwich, U.K.

• Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, U.S.

• Hudson River, New York, New York, U.S.

• Throughout Northern Europe

THE FOOD WEB OF CHINESE MITTEN CRAB

Chinese Mitten CrabSalmon

HumansAquatic Plants

Troutsmaller fish

Algae

A Successful Invader

• Clogs drains • Destroys fishing nets• Damages and destroys catch• Kills off many numbers of trout &

salmon population• survives in waters filled with

cadmium and mercury ( does not destroy medals when ingested so dangerous to eat)

The Predator Becomes PreyPrey to:

• Sturgeon• Stripped bass • Channel catfish• Bullfrogs• Raccoons• River otters• Wading birds

Fishing Restrictions

• In California you are allowed to fish for the mitten crab • Has established

population off the coast of California

• Has been released into the Great lakes many times have not established population

Culinary Arts

• In Shanghai cuisine known as delicacy:– Prized female crab roe– Crab meat = cooling (yin) effect on body