Journal Article
The first finding of the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii in Greece calls for rapid measures
Ioannis Karaouzas; Yiannis Kapakos; Konstantinos Fytilis; Ioannis Leris; Nektarios Kalaitzakis; Petros Kouraklis; Costas Perdikaris; Eleni Kalogianni
Limnology · Vol. 25, Issue 3 · pp. 229-234 · 2024
Abstract
This contribution presents the first record of the invasive non-native red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) in Greece and the Balkans. The crayfish was found during a fish monitoring expedition in the lower reaches of the Vosvozis River, near the city of Komotini, Thrace (northeastern Greece). The finding of P. clarkii in Greece expands the southernmost geographical range of the species in the Balkans and calls for immediate actions in preventing its further expansion to other water bodies and towards strict control of aquarium trade.