Notes on the capture of the crucifix crab Charybdis feriata (Linnaeus, 1758)(Crustacea: Brachyura: Portunidae) in the Adriatic Sea

The first documented occurrence of the crucifix crab Charybdis feriata in the Adriatic Sea is reported here based on a single specimen captured off Senigallia in October 2023. Evidence from previously published records in the Mediterranean Sea, along with the present finding, suggests that this non-indigenous species, native to the tropical Indo West-Pacific belt, is being repeatedly introduced by shipping, likely concealed within the hull space of sea-chests. Conversely, the transport of larvae or early crab stages with ballast waters seems unlikely due to the thermal regimes of the recipient seas and the size of the recorded adult crabs.