The sand fiddler crab, also classified as Leptuca pugilator, is a species of fiddler crab found along the Atlantic coast of North America from Massachusetts to the Gulf of Mexico, with reports also from the Bahamas and warmer Atlantic waters off West Africa. It lives in burrows dug into coastal and estuarine mud flats, sometimes at very high population densities. Males carry one greatly enlarged claw, up to 1.6 inches long, with a notably smooth inner surface that distinguishes it from related species, and they use this claw to defend territory and fight rival males, regrowing it if it is lost in combat.
Facts
Classification
System (Realm) Scientific Name Connections
Child Taxon Of
In Biome
Source Wikidata: Uca Pugilator
Sources
1. GBIF Species API
2. Wikipedia: Leptuca pugilator
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Wikidata: Uca Pugilator
- In Biome: Estuary, Introduction
- Child Taxon Of: Decapoda, Wikidata P171
View the SourceReader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.