Chinese Mitten Crab
A Chinese mitten crab was found in Connecticut waters and confirmed by DEEP and Connecticut Sea Grant in June of 2012. The crab was collected from the Mianus Pond fishway on the Mianus River (Greenwich) and is the first confirmed sighting of this invasive crab in this state. Where abundant, Chinese mitten crabs can damage fishing gear, clog pumps and intake pipes, cause riverbank erosion through their burrowing activities, and outcompete native species for food and habitat. These crabs are relatively new to the Atlantic coast; however, and at this time it is unclear as to what their effects will actually be here.
DEEP needs your help! Be on the lookout for Chinese mitten crabs.
An image of a chinese mitten crab.
Mitten crabs are NOT native to Connecticut but have been found in our state. Establishment of mitten crabs in Connecticut may have negative consequences for coastal and freshwater ecosystems. Any crab found in freshwater should be investigated, as there are no freshwater crabs in New England.
Adult Chinese mitten crabs have several distinctive characteristics that aid in identification:
Brownish-orange to greenish-brown color.
Hairy, white-tipped claws (look like mittens).
Distinct notch between the eyes.
Four spines along each side of the shell.
Legs are twice as long as the width of the shell.
Only crab that would be found in freshwater in the Northeast.
Please help us learn more about mitten crabs in Connecticut.
If you catch a mitten crab:
Do not release it!
Please freeze it or preserve it in alcohol.
Note date and location of capture
Please report your finding within 48 hours to
david.molnar@ct.gov or call 860-434-6043.
Report mitten crabs on DEEP's new online reporting app, the Marine Aquatic Invasive Species Survey (MAIS Survey).
MAIS Public Map Viewer (Online companion mapping tool that can be used to report, display, and download sightings.)
