While Australia has not yet seen the introduction of Chinese mitten crabs, its environment is suitable for settlement and spread through coastal river systems in the southeast (S Qld to central SA) and southwest (Esperance to Shark Bay) according to modelling carried out by Zhang et al. (2019).

The Chinese mitten crab has been established in Europe since the beginning of the 20th century and has spread there and elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere since then (Panning, 1939; Bentley, 2011). It has been the subject of considerable research both in its native range where its gonads are considered a delicacy and elsewhere as an invasive species. Hundreds of research papers have summarised the biology and invasive history of this species. In China, research continues on improving methods for cultivation (e.g., Wang et al., 2018; Wu et al., 2020). Selective breeding programs (mainly for improved growth rate) have developed at least 5 certified varieties of mitten crab in China (Liu et al., 2018). In Europe, the damage done by Chinese mitten crabs remains of considerable concern (e.g., Schoelynck et al., 2020).

The Chinese mitten crab reaches a larger size than typical shore crabs in Australia, with a squarish carapace up to 100 mm wide. The carapace (shell) is brownish-orange-green with four conspicuous sharp teeth along each side. The Chinese mitten crab is instantly recognisable by the furry claws than inspire its common name (Naser et al., 2012).

Adult crabs inhabit rivers, lakes, estuaries and marine bays, favouring compacted clay-silt banks with some vegetative cover.

The species is “one of the World’s most notorious aquatic invasive species” (Bentley, 2011) or “arguably the most notorious brachyuran species on the planet” (Naser et al., 2012).

The species is not so far known from Australia.