<p>Biological invasion and introduction of non-native species pose a major threat in the twenty-first century. Latest studies indicate that small, low mobile Crustacea, like Peracarida, are a major component of the fouling community. At the same time, they are usually neglected in monitoring due to their small size and problems with identification. Growing evidence of cryptic invasions encourages us to look closer at one of the most abundant components of peracarid assemblages in fouling communities – the Tanaididae (Tanaidacea). Prior findings on the possible invasiveness of the family are scarce. In the literature and databases only five species have been indicated as invasive. Herein, we propose a multisource approach to verifying the distribution of Tanaididae and estimating the risk of cryptic invasion by its members. We review the available data on Tanaididae occurrence, affinities to anthropogenic habitats and molecular data from global databases and literature. As a result, we have identified 24 species of Tanaididae as having invasion potential, and a further 30 species with affinities to anthropogenic habitats, that might be sources of cryptic invasions in the future. Moreover, our comprehensive study allowed us to identify seven species with conflicting information around distribution or taxonomy that may lead to misidentification.</p>