Larvae of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Portunidae) in the Balearic Archipelago (NW Mediterranean Sea)

Abstract

The invasive blue crab Callinectes sapidus has been frequently recorded during the last years along the NW Mediterranean Sea, leading to established populations. Two megalopae of C. sapidus were found during two different oceanographic surveys in open waters of the Balearic Archipelago, in July 2005 and October 2011, previous to the first reference of adult specimens documented in the Balearic sub-basin. The analyzed environmental conditions of the sampling periods allowed us to hypothesize the likely introduction pathways, namely by maritime transport and surface currents. Furthermore, the recorded megalopae seem to enlarge the life history of C. sapidus in regard to its native area, where spawning peaks occur in late July and early August.