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Potential impact of the Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus on native northeast Pacific crabs

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Abstract

Asian shore crabs (Hemigrapsus sanguineus De Haan) are a dominant invasive species in the northwest Atlantic, where recent evidence suggests that they have been introduced multiple times from their native range of Japan and Korea. Despite favorable environmental conditions and a high level of shipping traffic across the Pacific, this crab has not become established in the northeast Pacific. This may be due to interactions with the native shore crab assemblage, which previous studies have found to outcompete juvenile H. sanguineus for shelter. The present study used a combination of feeding and behavioral experiments to quantify the feeding behavior of native crabs (Pachygrapsus crassipes, Hemigrapsus nudus, Hemigrapsus oregonensis) with and without the presence of H. sanguineus. H. sanguineus ate more than the native crabs combined at both 7 and 13 °C. Crabs in the mixed treatment which included all four species ate less than expected, indicating that at least one species reduced its feeding rate. However, time-lapse photography revealed similar amounts of time feeding in both treatments for all 4 species, suggesting that there were changes in feeding intensity when all crabs were together. The high feeding rates but lack of a competitive advantage for H. sanguineus make it an unlikely but potentially impactful invader in the northeast Pacific.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to Dr. Jim Barry for editing of this manuscript, and to the 3 reviewers who provided valuable feedback and improved the final product. Additional thanks to Brielle Dalvano and Dr. Larissa Williams for collection and shipping of crabs in Maine. Crab collection in California under CADFW scientific collecting permit #12647. This research was supported by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

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  1. Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, 7700 Sandholdt Rd., Moss Landing, CA, 95039, USA

    Joshua P. Lord

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  1. Joshua P. Lord
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Lord, J.P. Potential impact of the Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus on native northeast Pacific crabs. Biol Invasions 19, 1879–1887 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-017-1399-z

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