About Eriocheir japonica (De Haan, 1835)
Eriocheir japonica, commonly known as the Japanese mitten crab, is a crab species native to Korea and Japan. It is a catadromous species: most of its life is spent in freshwater and brackish environments, and it migrates downstream to coastal marine areas to breed. It is commonly consumed and holds economic importance within its native range. The native distribution of Eriocheir japonica includes Japan, Korea, western Taiwan, and the southeastern coast of Russia. Sporadic introduced populations of the species also exist in the United States. Additionally, some degree of introgression from Eriocheir japonica has occurred in invasive European populations of its close relative, the Chinese mitten crab.
