red-jointed fiddler crab
Quick Summary
The red-jointed fiddler crab (Uca minax) is a brackish marsh crab found on the eastern coast of North America. It belongs to the genus Uca, which encompasses about 65 species of fiddler crabs.12
Fiddler crabs are named for the male's disproportionately large claw, which it holds like a violin. This larger claw is used for defense and attracting mates, and can be regenerated if lost. Females have two smaller claws. These crabs inhabit beaches in temperate to tropical regions worldwide, living in burrows and feeding on algae and organic matter. Common North American species, including the red-jointed fiddler, range in size from 1 to 1.2 inches and are found along the Atlantic coast of the United States. Males are typically more vibrantly colored than females, with colors varying from red and green to yellow and blue.2
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