Page 24 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2021

LEISURE
GET TO KNOW THE GULF:
Gulf Fiddler Crab
story by Christina Mohrman photo by Kyle Moon
CLASSIFICATION
CLASS: Crustacea FAMILY: Ocypodidae GENUS: Minuca SPECIES: longisignalis
This story is part of Embrace the Gulf 2021, sponsored by Clean Gulf Associates, Hess and Shell.
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FUN FACTS
• Fiddler crabs live in coastal salt marshes; they are found in
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the soft sand or mud along the edges of marsh creeks. Fiddler crabs live in burrows and use them as a place to escape from predators, sleep, and stay out of the cold in the winter months.
During high tide, fiddler crabs pack sand or mud at the entrance of their burrow to keep the water out.
Male fiddler crabs are distinctive for having one large claw and one small claw. The species gets its common name from the way males wave their large claw back and forth, like playing a fiddle, to get the attention of female crabs. Fiddler crabs eat algae and decaying marsh plants and
use their small claw for feeding. Since males only have one small claw, they have to work twice as hard as the females to eat!
Fiddler crabs are a key part of the salt
marsh food chain. Predators include birds such as herons and egrets, raccoons, and diamondback terrapins. They can also make good bait!
If a fiddler crab loses their claw, they can grow it back!
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24 | December 2021 www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living