arthropods

Clibanarius vittatus

Trophic Level: Carnivore

Characteristics: two claws and eight legs, last two designed to cling to an empty shell; brown legs with thin, white stripes

Range: VA to FL and the Gulf of Mexico

Size: hard part of carapace up to 1.25in (3cm) long

Habitat: mud or sand beaches and tidal creek; up to 72ft in depth

Fun Fact: hermit crabs retract deep into the shell; as they grow, hermit crabs will select and move into larger shells

Where It's Found: Tidal creek

Penaeus setiferus

Trophic Level: Omnivore

Characteristics: antennae 2.5–3 times body length; body white with black speckles; eyes kidney shaped

Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S., the Gulf of Mexico

Size: up to 4in (10cm) long in tidal creeks, 4-8in (10-20cm) long in open water

Habitat: transient, estuaries, tidal creeks

Fun Fact: more active during the day than brown shrimp

Where It's Found: Tidal creek

Trophic Level: Herbivore

Characteristics: tiny animals in water column with limited mobility, forms link between phytoplankton and larger organisms

Range: worldwide

Size: microscopic

Habitat: fresh and salt water

Fun Fact: holoplankton continue as plankton their entire life; meroplankton start as zooplankton and grow into a larger animal

Where It's Found: Tidal creek

Uca minax

Trophic Level: Detritivore

Characteristics: Larger than other <em>Uca</em>, red joints on male’s large claw

Range: Atlantic coast of U.S., Gulf of Mexico

Size: carapace width up to 1.5in (4cm)

Habitat: low salinity to freshwater

Fun Fact: withstands anoxia

Where It's Found: Upland border

Orchelimum fidicinium

Trophic Level: Detritivore

Characteristics: similar to common garden grasshopper; green with two long antennae; camouflages very well with <em>Spartina</em>

Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S.

Size: averages 1in (3cm) in length

Habitat: among vegetation on marsh platform to upland border

Fun Fact: tends to feed on different areas of Spartina blades to avoid competition with the periwinkle snail

Where It's Found: Low marsh, High marsh, Upland border

Uca pugilator

Trophic Level: Detritivore

Characteristics: Pink-purple body, purple dot in center

Range: Atlantic coast of U.S. and Gulf of Mexico

Size: carapace width up to 1.5in (4cm)

Habitat: sandy intertidal

Fun Fact: bristles on claws remove food bits from sand

Where It's Found: High marsh

Armases cinereum

Trophic Level: Detritivore

Characteristics: square carapace brown to olive; last segment of the fourth walking leg has black spines

Range: MD to FL and the Gulf of Mexico

Size: carapace width up to 1in (3cm)

Habitat: high marsh, vegetated upland border

Fun Fact: often feeds on insects that consume marsh elder leaves, thus reducing herbivory on the plant

Where It's Found: High marsh, Upland border

Panopeus herbstii

Trophic Level: Omnivore

Characteristics: trapezoidal carapace, brown to gray; five teeth behind eye sockets; claw tips black or brown

Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S.

Size: carapace width up to 2.5in (6cm)

Habitat: estuaries up to 70ft (21m) deep, tidal creeks, low marsh

Fun Fact: dominant mud crab in salt marshes; capable of crushing small juvenile oysters

Where It's Found: Tidal creek, Low marsh

Alpheus heterochaelis

Trophic Level: Carnivore

Characteristics: one large chela (claw), with dark translucent green body and a small rostrum (shark projection off the head)

Range: from NC to FL

Size: up to 2.5in (6cm)

Habitat: tidal creeks, common around oyster beds

Fun Fact: the large claw can snap and create a loud popping sound that can stun or kill prey

Where It's Found: Tidal creek

Callinectes sapidus

Trophic Level: Carnivore

Characteristics: last pair of legs paddle-like for swimming; edge of shell with 9 teeth on each side; four teeth between the eyes

Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico

Size: carapace width up to 9in (23cm)

Habitat: nearly every type of estuarine and near shore habitat

Fun Fact: some harvest regulations differ by state, but all harvested females with eggs must be released

Where It's Found: Tidal creek

Penaeus aztecus

Trophic Level: Omnivore

Characteristics: conspicuous ridges that extend the length of the head; brown-green body; eyes kidney shaped

Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico

Size: up to 4in (10cm) long in tidal creeks, 4-8in (10-20cm) long in open water

Habitat: transient; estuaries, tidal creeks, primarily mud bottom

Fun Fact: usually burrow in response to lower temperatures

Where It's Found: Tidal creek

Menippe mercenaria

Trophic Level: Carnivore

Characteristics: carapace brown to red with light spots; toothed claws often unequal in size, tips black; legs with red bands

Range: NC to FL and the Gulf of Mexico

Size: carapace width up to 6in (15cm)

Habitat: tidal creeks, oyster reefs, sand and mud

Fun Fact: claws crush prey, such as oysters; harvest rules vary across states regarding claw harvesting

Where It's Found: Tidal creek

Palaemonetes vulgaris

Trophic Level: Omnivore

Characteristics: clear shrimp with long rostrum bearing sharp teeth and round eyes at the end of conspicuous stalks

Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico

Size: up to 2in (5cm) in length

Habitat: shallow estuaries, abundant in tidal creeks

Fun Fact: tolerates changing conditions; can be found in waters with salinities ranging from 2 to 36 ppt

Where It's Found: Tidal creek

Limulus polyphemus

Trophic Level: Carnivore

Characteristics: brown carapace; two compound eyes and set of simple eyes on the prosoma; three distinct body regions

Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico

Size: females 18-19in (46cm) head to tail; males 14-15in (36cm)

Habitat: beaches, tidal creeks, estuaries

Fun Fact: horseshoe crabs lack antennae, jaws, and have seven pairs of legs, making them related to spiders and scorpions

Where It's Found: Tidal creek

Callinectes similis

Trophic Level: Carnivore

Characteristics: similar to <em>C. sapidus</em>, but six teeth between eyes (innermost two can be very small); claws tinted with fuchsia

Range: DE to FL and the Gulf of Mexico

Size: carapace width up to 5in (13cm)

Habitat: sand and mud in lower estuaries and tidal creeks with moderate to high salinity

Fun Fact: often compete for resources with C. sapidus

Where It's Found: Tidal creek

Uca pugnax

Trophic Level: Detritivore

Characteristics: “H” depression in middle of the carapace; eyestalks long

Range: Atlantic coast of U.S.

Size: carapace width up to 1.5in (4cm)

Habitat: muddy substrate

Fun Fact: males wave large claw to attract females

Where It's Found: Low marsh

Trophic Level: Herbivore

Characteristics: laterally compressed body; species vary greatly in size, shape, and color

Range: worldwide

Size: less than 0.5in (1cm) in length

Habitat: tidal creek intertidal areas in a variety of sediment types

Fun Fact: amphipods serve as a critical food resource for many birds and small fish

Where It's Found: Tidal creek, Low marsh