Chinese Mitten Crab, Eriocher sinensis.

Hugh MacIsaac is a professor at the University of Windsor, the Chair of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans' Invasive Species Research group, and one of North America's leading researchers studying invasive species. MacIsaac and colleagues recently published a study investigating the invasion risk of the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) to habitats throughout North America (Herborg et al. 2007). The mitten crab (fig. 22.2) is native to Asia, occurring throughout China, North Korea, and Hong Kong. The crab has spread throughout the planet by hitchhiking in ballast water of trade-ships, and intentional introduction as seafood (Herborg et al. 2007). The crab is now widespread throughout Europe, and has a very spotty distribution within North America. MacIsaac and colleagues recognized that a spotty distribution now does not mean there will be a spotty distribution in the future, and they wanted a way to predict the relative risk of invasion in the major ports throughout North America. To make such predictions realistic, the research team needed to understand the biology of the organism. Because this species is not yet widespread in North America, they needed to gather information from Europe and Asia.