Species profile
Mud Fiddler Crab
Minuca pugnax
At a glance
Mud Fiddler Crab (Minuca pugnax) is a crustacean present across the CatchRules coverage area but without species-specific bag, size, or season rules tracked in our regulatory dataset.
Confirmed by 3,186 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Males wave their one enlarged claw in species-specific rhythms to attract mates.
- Retreats to its burrow at high tide and forages for detritus when the tide drops.
- An important food source for herons, egrets, and shorebirds along Atlantic mudflats.
- One of the most abundant crabs on Atlantic salt-marsh mudflats from New England to Florida.
Where Mud Fiddler Crab are seen
Background
Minuca pugnax, commonly known as the Atlantic marsh fiddler crab, is a species of fiddler crab that lives on north-western shores of the Atlantic Ocean.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Mud Fiddler Crab article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.