Mud Fiddler Crabs: Inhabitants of the Subtidal Soft Bottom

The most distinctive trait of the Mud Fiddler Crab, is it's enlarged claw (Wenner, 1). Only male Fiddler Crabs have a large claw (Wenner, 1). There is a 50:50 percent chance as to which arm of the Fiddler Crab will be large. As each male grows to mature, their claws grow from 2 percent of their total body weight to roughly 65 percent (Wenner, 1). Mid Fiddler crabs can be found in subtidal soft bottoms and marshes. They're known to burrow, and tend to increase the erosion of salt marshes by burrowing more and more inland (Wenner, 2). Though they're found extensively on the East Coast of the United States from Massachusetts to Florida, their populations are extremely sensitive to pesticides (Wenner, 2).


Wenner, Elizabeth. "Fiddler Crabs." Http://www.dnr.sc.gov/. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Web. 5 May 2011. .