mole crabs
Beach sand burrowers
Mole crabs are small crustaceans that burrow backward into sandy beaches in the wash zone, using their antennae to filter plankton from retreating waves.
Also called sand crabs or sand fleas, they're common along both U.S. coasts and popular as fishing bait.
Unlike true crabs, they don't pinch and can't walk forward.
- sand fleaBurrowing coastal parasite
- burrowingDigging to create shelter
- intertidalZone between high and low watermarks
- crustaceanAquatic arthropod with exoskeleton
- wave ridingSport on ocean swells
molts · filter feeding · exoskeleton · beaches · arthropod · surf zone · sandy beach · streamlined body · decapods · camouflage · carapace · invertebrate · antennae · shrimp · sand dollar · tide pools · coastal wildlife · habitat
mole crabsfiddler crabs
Crabs with one oversized claw
blue crabs · lobsters · stone crabs · Dungeness crabs · king crabs
mole crabsghost crabs
Pale burrowing beach crustaceans
fiddler crabs · coconut crabs · rock crabs · spider crabs · land crabs