On the food composition of the crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii (Gould 1841) (decapoda, crustacea, panopeidae) from the northeastern part of the Black Sea and taman regions of the Sea of Azov
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Abstract
The article describes the food composition of the crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii (Gould 1841) (Decapoda, Crustacea, Panopeidae) from the waters of the Azov and Black Seas, around the Taman Peninsula, its ontogenetic variations, as well as the method of ingestion. R. harrisii is one of the most famous invasive species, which entered Europe with ballast waters of ships in 1874. Since its arrival in European waters, it has mastered the Northern and Baltic seas, the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, the Caspian Sea, and was found in the Aral Sea. In the waters surrounding the Taman Peninsula, as well as in other parts of the range where the composition of its food was studied, R. harrisii is an epibentophagous species, whose diet is completely dominated by plant food (higher aquatic plants and filamentous algae) throughout its ontogenesis. Food items of animal origin are found in the crab's food by accident or sporadically. Due to the small size of the crab (the largest width of the carapace is 26 mm) and the type of food it can be attributed to a non-selective collector.