What are Fiddler Crabs?
Fiddler crabs are a small type of eight-legged crab or crustacean that belongs to the genus, Uca, the order, Decapoda, and the family Ocypodidae. There are about 100 different species of fiddler crabs and approximately 20 of these are found in Australia. It’s very easy to tell the difference between a male and female fiddler crab as the male has one claw that is much larger than his other claw. The larger claw in male fiddler crabs may be the left or the right. The male crab waves it to attract females for mating and also to challenge males to fight. Fighting between males is not usually very aggressive. Female fiddler crabs that are ready to mate are the ones that choose male crabs to mate with, walking by many claw-waving males before selecting one for mating. The egg-carrying female takes over the male fiddler crab’s sand burrow home and he must often fight other males for a new home.
