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Fiddler Crab (Uca species)
Fiddler crabs are found on mud flats and on sandy beaches in Florida. Fiddlers commonly dig burrows for protection from predators and incoming tidal waters. It is easy to identify the male fiddler crab from the female because of his one large claw. The male's larger claw is used to attract females and to defend territory. At both low and high tide, fiddler crabs come out of their burrows in search of food. They eat by picking up sediment with their claw and scraping food materials such as decaying plant matter from the sediment. The sediment is then placed back down on the ground. |
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U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Center for Coastal Geology |
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