Invasive Crab Species with 'Furry Claws Resembling Mittens' Spotted in New York

"Meet the Mitten Crab, an invasive species native to East Asia that has found its way into New York waters," New York's Department of Environmental Conservation said

• New York's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) confirmed that mitten crabs had recently been found in the Hudson River and Long Island Sound

• "Adult Mitten Crabs can be recognized by their 'furry' claws, resembling mittens," the agency said in a Facebook post

• The impact mitten crabs will have in New York is currently unknown, but "populations in Europe and California have had several negative economic and ecological impacts," DEC said
  

New York is now home to an "invasive" species of crab.

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) confirmed last week that the mitten crab — native to East Asia and known for their hairy-looking claws — had been found in the Hudson River and Long Island Sound.

"Mittens are a great winter accessory but when DEC staff discovered mitten crabs in the Nissequogue River this past winter the news was anything but crabulous!" the DEC wrote in a Facebook update posted on Wednesday, June 5.

Noting that the "invasive species" have "found its way into New York waters," the department added that "these crabs move between brackish and marine waters and have the potential to disrupt local ecosystems by out-competing native marine life. Adult Mitten Crabs can be recognized by their 'furry' claws, resembling mittens, while juveniles such as the ones seen in the photos, may lack the identifying 'mitten.' "

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When it comes to recognizing the animal, DEC told people to "look for a notch on the carapace between the eyes and four small lateral spines on each side of the carapace for additional identification markers in juvenile crabs."

According to the DEC, mitten crabs can be identified by their "claws of equal size with white tips and dense patches of brown setae that look like hairy mittens," their light brown to olive color, and for having eight "sharp pointed walking legs approximately twice as long" as the animal's shell width.

Per the agency's website, the first mitten crab was reported in New York in 2007 from the Hudson River near Tappan Zee Bridge in Nyack. The animals were most likely introduced to the U.S. through ballast water.

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"Although the impacts of mitten crabs in New York are currently unknown, their negative ecological and economic impacts are well [documented] in other areas including Europe and the San Francisco Bay Delta," the agency added.

DEC pointed out that while it's not known what impact mitten crabs will have in New York, the animals have been known to interfere with commercial and recreational fisheries, block the cooling systems of power plants, cause bank instability and erosion, and more in areas across Europe and California.

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DEC is asking the public to report any sightings of mitten crabs to the Bureau of Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health in a bid to limit their spread and potential impacts on local ecosystems.

"If you see a Mitten Crab, remove it from the environment and freeze it. Make sure to take identifying photos and note your precise location," DEC wrote on Facebook.

The Bureau of Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health didn't immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE.

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The mitten crab sightings come after it was reported earlier this month that the East Coast might also soon be home to giant venomous flying spiders.

Experts said the Joro spider — which were first spotted in Georgia in 2014 and are believed to have been brought to the U.S. via shipping trucks or containers — will potentially be seen in the area sometime this year.

The arachnids can have up to a 4-inch leg span and the ability to fly.

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