Exotic crustaceans of the Turkish coast

A total of 50 exotic species (19 Brachyura, 19 Natant ia, 2 Stomatopoda , 6 Amphipoda, 1 Cumacea, 2 Isopoda, and 1 Cirripedia) of crustaceans are reported from the Tu rkish coast. Exotic crustaceans of the Turkish Seas comprises of approximately 48% of the fauna constituted by invasive species, introduced from the Levantine basin of the Mediterranean. About 34% of invasive crustaceans found on the Turkish coast are Indo-west Pacific origin. Decapods constitute majority of the species with a dominance of 38%. Lowest dominace (2%) was related to orders, Cumacea and Cirripedia a being that were represented by single species. When Levantine basin was compared to the Turkey coast, th e shrimp species reported on the Turkish coast were 70% of the shrimp species of all Levantine basin. The exotic migrant crab of Indo-West Pacific, Charybdis helleri was found abundant on the entire Turkish coas t of the Mediterranean. Brachyuran crab, Eurycarcinus integrifrons and the oisk shrimp, Palaemonella rotumana are the latest records of exotics for the Turkish Seas.