The prevalence of two known pathogens of Atlantic Blue Crab Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun, 1896) in coastal Adriatic, Aegean sea, and Atlantic Iberian coast Mediterranean Marine Science

In the Mediterranean Sea, the abundance of the invasive portunid crab, Callinectes sapidus, has dramatically increased in recent years. This raises concerns about damage to ecosystems, but also offers opportunities for exploitation of a new fishery. Newly invasive species may escape from pathogens in their native range, may introduce new pathogens, or can become host to endemic pathogens. Understanding these factors is important for predicting or managing natural resources in the invaded range. This study investigated the prevalence of two pathogens common in C. sapidus in its home range of North America: the reovirus CsRV1 and the protozoan parasite Hematodinium perezi. In crabs collected from Aegean, Adriatic, and Atlantic waters, the CsRV1 virus was not detected. Grant no. NA21SEC4810005