An Encounter with a "Halloween Crab"
The Nocturnal Land Crab
Today, I had an interesting encounter with a Blackback Land Crab, Hartnollius lateralis (formerly known as Gecarcinus lateralis). This species is also known as a Red Land Crab and a Bermuda Land Crab. iNaturalist tells us it is also called a Halloween Land Crab.
This species gets its name, Blackback Land Crab, honestly, as you can see in the picture above.
iNaturalist provides the following summary:
“Gecarcinus is a genus of semi-terrestrial, brackish crabs native to the Caribbean, Central America, and parts of South America. These crabs are commonly found in coastal forests, mangroves, and even in suburban areas where they burrow near freshwater sources with access to the sea. In the pet trade, they are a popular and widely available genus due to their vivid colouration, hardy nature, and engaging behaviour.”
Further information:
“Environment
This little red crab, called ‘touloulou’ or ‘tourlourou’ in French, is common to the West Indies, has a preference for arid terrain, and digs galleries in the sand not too far from the shore, at the bases of trees.
Food
It helps to aerate the soil by contributing to the deterioration of the plant and animal detritus on which it feeds. It is mainly a vegetarian, consuming roots and fruit, but also the occasional animal carcass. During the reproductive season, the males beat on the ground to attract the females.
Reproduction
After mating, they head toward the sea to lay their eggs, which will hatch into swimming larvae. This crab is widely popular in the West Indies for its delicious meat.”
We played ‘Hide and Seek’ for a while, as shown in the video below.
It is sad to know that these cuties are even considered pets. They face enough challenges from the various heron species that frequent my yard and consider them a delicacy!
https://www.aquarium-larochelle.com/en/species-encyclopedia/blackback-land-crab/
https://www.indoorecosystem.net/guides/gecarcinus-care-guide
We never saw a crab like that before! Well done Jackie!
Such a neat looking crab! You come across all kinds of flora and fauna on your bird outings. Thank you for sharing.