Vocabulary
- Plankton – Tiny drifting organisms that live in the surface layers of the ocean and waters.
- Phytoplankton – Plankton that live at the surface of the water and use the sunlight for photosynthesis.
- Photosynthesis – The use of light to make sugars and other molecules for growth.
- Eye stalks – A protrusion that extends the eye away from the body so the eye has a better field of view.
- Detritus – Organic waste material from decomposing dead plants or animals.
- Cheliped – Legs that have a claw.
Fun Facts
- Only the male Fiddler Crabs have one very large claw. Females have two same-sized small claws.
- Fiddler crabs got their names since the large claw of the male crab makes him look like he’s playing the fiddle, especially when he moves it back and forth.
- The male’s large claw is used to defend against other fiddler crabs.
- Male fiddler crabs dig burrows to live in which have “hoods” at the entrance to keep out the rain.
- The female fiddler crabs pick their male fiddler crab mate by choosing the burrow and rain hood that they like best.
- If a male fiddler crab loses his large claw, the smaller claw will grow to be the big claw and he will grow a new small claw. This is why you may see fiddler crabs with a right-side large claw or with a left-side large claw.