Chinese mitten crab

Eriocheir sinensis

The Chinese mitten crab has distinctive hairy claws and spends part of its life in rivers and part in the sea. It is native to East Asia but invasive in several other regions.

Not a fish · an aquatic neighbor

Water

Freshwater + Brackish + Saltwater

Freshwater rivers, estuaries, marshes, and coastal waters.

Temperature

Range not established

A dependable species-specific wild temperature range was not established from the reviewed sources, so both values are null.

Size

Carapace up to about 8 cm (3 in) wide

About the width of a tennis ball

Lifespan

Best-supported wild lifespan is not established.

Life expectancy varies with place, conditions, and what scientists have been able to observe.

01 · Signature adaptation

What does it do?

Juveniles and adults use rivers and estuaries, while mature crabs migrate toward saltwater to reproduce. Adults burrow into banks and can damage shorelines and crops.

Its superpowerIt can migrate between freshwater rivers and saltier coastal waters.

02 · Home coordinates

Where does it live?

Native to the Pacific coast of China and Korea; introduced populations occur in parts of Europe and North America.

Regions: China and Korea · Introduced Europe and North America

03 · The menu

What does it eat?

It walks along river and estuary bottoms while grazing, hunting, and scavenging.

Omnivore: worms, mollusks, small fish, aquatic plants, detritus.

04 · Remember this

Two wow facts

Hairy mittens

Both claws are usually similar in size and covered with dense hair, creating its mitten-like appearance.

Sources [1]

River-to-sea journey

Its life cycle includes freshwater or brackish rearing habitats and marine reproduction.

Sources [2]