Observed dozens of speckled swimming crabs exposed and periodically buried in sand of intertidal zone during an abnormally high tide event following heavy rains at Mustang Island State Park. Some of the crabs were actively feeding on coquina clam (Donax variabilis). Both females with sponges and males were observed, though there was no obvious interaction between any of the crabs.
Seen at 9:31 am Scientific name - Arenaeus cribrarius Niche - acts as a scavenger and recycles nutrients in dead organisms, host to parasitic barnacles, mesopredator, and food for larger predators Range - Found on the Atlantic coast of North, Central, and South America; from Massachusetts to Brazil Habitat - live near the sandy beach shores in up to 68 m of water