An exotic crab species native to the Indian Ocean, has been spotted in Greek waters for the first time, according to local scientists.
Known by the scientific name Liomera rugipes, the newcomer was found on the island of Rhodes, off Ladiko Beach – hundreds of miles from its natural environement and on an entirely different continent.
A paper published in June 2026 revealed that a male specimen was collected at a depth of 50-55 metres. This is also the westernmost location that the specific species has been discovered to date in the Mediterranean Sea, AMNA reports.
Greece invaded by exotic marine species
The crab was identified after a detailed examination of its morphology, including a study of the particular form of the first male gonapod. Scientists conducted a molecular analysis of the DNA sequence of the species as well, for the purpose of future identification and for monitoring its spread.
Their work was published in the scientific journal BioInvasions Records in an article with the headline “First record and DNA barcoding of Liomera rugipes (Heller, 1861) (Brachyura:Xanthidae) in Hellenic waters” by Konstantinos Kalaentzis, G. Kondylatos, P. Louizidou, S. Minoudi, M. Corsini-Foka και A. Triantafyllidis.
The spread of the Liomera rugipes crab to Rhodes is another sign of the continued spread of exotic species to the Eastern Mediterranean, possibly via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
In recent years, the invasive silver-cheeked pufferfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) has spread through Greek waters and is now posing a serious threat to fisheries, marine ecosystems, and public health if consumed.
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