Now that I think of it... it's probably my first time posting on this community! Well, and seems the perfect place to post it; been a while since I saw these cool critters, and managed to take some decent shots!
Have you ever seen a fiddler crab? I bet these guys would sooner tear the violin strings than actually play it, thow!
These crabs belong to the Uca genus, and there are several species, although in Portugal we only have one, the Uca tangeris. They usually live in mangrooves, estuaries, and sandy or muddy beaches in the Atlantic coast . They are fun creatures, and very easy to identify because of their anatomy: the males of these species have a huge front claw, but only one! The act of waiving their claws, resembling playing a violin, is where their name comes from. They are also called calling crabs.
Especially in the muddy area between tides, they are very easy to spot if you visit Ria Formosa, where I was… because they are all over the place!
They dig burrows and they come out to feed, feeding on algae and debris. If you approach too much, they will quickly hide, and it’s fun seeing them rush into their burrows.
But if you are patient, they will soon peak and see is the coast is clear to resume their feeding.
Their feeding habits makes them a valuable part in the ecossistem, as they permit better oxigenation of the soil. Now that I think of it… the males are at a disadvantage here, because the large claw is not suitable for bringing food to the mouth! The females can eat twice as fast! Ehehehe
They can also be seen in small counsils, talking about the meaning of life and global warming.
Or maybe just doing a break from the food frenzin! 😁
So now you know; if you're visiting the atlantic coast and happen to find crabs with only one large claw... not, they haven't lost the other one! They're fiddler crabs (and males)!
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