Invertebrate · GBIF taxon 2225698
Pacific Sand Crab
Emerita analogaAlso known as Pacific Mole Crab, Coldwater Mole Crab, Sand Flea
Pacific sand crabs spend their lives riding waves up and down wave-washed beaches, quickly burrowing backward into wet sand as waves recede. Extending a pair of feathery antennae into retreating water, they filter plankton and organic particles directly from the swash. During spring and summer, mature females carry bright orange egg masses under their abdomens until releasing larvae into the coastal currents.
CrustaceanIntertidalFilter Feeder
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Phytoplankton
- Zooplankton
- Detritus
Predators
- Barred Surfperch
- Willet
- Surf Scoter
ThreatsCoastal development, shoreline pollution, oil spills
HabitatsSandy beaches, intertidal swash zones
Life span2 to 3 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyHippidae
- SpeciesEmerita analoga
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Spotting: Look for V-shaped ripples in retreating waves where feathery antennae break the surface.
- Handling: Scoop gently with wet sand to watch burrowing behavior before releasing into the swash.
Predator (c) Peter Chen 2.0, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Predator (c) Tom Norton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) W. Terry Hunefeld, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by W. Terry Hunefeld · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda · cc-by
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