Mole Crab
Emerita talpoida
The little egg-shaped 'sand flea' that tumbles in the swash and vanishes backwards into wet sand.
- Typical size
- 0.4–1.5 in
- How often it turns up
- Very common
- Collecting
- Usually legal to collect
- Handling
- Photograph and release
Handle briefly and return to the swash; they are also common surf-fishing bait.
How to tell it apart
- Smooth egg-shaped body, no visible claws
- Feathery antennae when feeding
- Burrows backwards instantly
Found one?
Photograph it and BeachNut will rank the likely matches, then log it to your collection.
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