Talk:Emerita (crustacean)

Sand Flea
Around here (central Florida), these are referred to as "Dick Suckers". They're a very common bait used for people fishing at the beach. I've never head the term "mole crab" before I came across this article. I noticed in the history that someone removed the sand flea wording because "Sand Fleas are something different", but at least in Florida, no fisherman I've ever met has referred to them as anything but sand fleas. Don't believe me? Do a google search for sand flea bait. Or even an image search for "sand flea" and see how many mole crab images pop up. --Jdoty 20 July 2006
 * In North Carolina they are called sand fleas as well. They are a particularly effective bait for pompano. --SquareWave 02:40, 27 July 2006 (UTC)
 * Called sand fleas throughout the islands off of Sarasota-Bradenton. I didn't even know they had any other non-scientific name! -Yupik 14:44, 8 December 2006 (UTC)
 * In the Yucatan in Mexico they are called "Wech" which is their Mayan name. They are also used for bait here. Interestingly, they have gone all but missing since the last big hurricane, "Isadora" back in 2002. If anyone knows why this might be, please enlighten me. I miss the little buggers. -iBasto
 * Hurricanes can drastically effect natural populations because of the large upheavals they cause (I would compare them to wildfires in this way: change is often good for strengthening a biome; after all, what doesn't kill them...). It is common enough that one species often seen before a hurricane will become less populous for a while. Being such a common creature, their population will likely rebuild eventually. Just give it some time. I'm from the Gulf Coast of FL, and we call them sand fleas as well. Here, they're white, like the sand, though in the picture they're greyish-brown. It does say in the article they are camouflaged, but the range of colors might be worth mentioning. I also removed a line about them being common in a specific area of CA. I believe they are common enough throughout N. & S. America (as mentioned in the article) that one specific, comparatively small stretch of coast they live on is not worth mentioning (it borders on stupid to do so). BTW, I got here from sand fleas, which is a disambiguation page, so the problem Jdoty commented on seems to have been fixed. Garnet avi 23:45, 19 August 2007 (UTC)

Sand Crab
Around here, in Va, Nc, & Sc we call them sand crabs. However I read above that in nc theyre also called sand fleas. I'm having confusion here. Can anyone give me a little help here, eh? (I'm part canadian) Signed, Sneaky Oviraptor18talk edits tribute 19:11, 5 January 2009 (UTC) eh? In Brazil they are known as tatuí or tatuíra. They are commonly used as bait for surfcasting, and are also tasty sautéed with rice or farofa.212.189.46.155 (talk) 13:02, 20 April 2009 (UTC)

I grew up in Wilmington, N.C. and I knew them by both names (sand crab / sand flea) though I preferred the name sand crab because I hate fleas. My dad used to catch them for bait and I have fond memories trying to catch the little rascals as they scurried out of my hands. 12:52, 20 June 2009 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 219.106.145.202 (talk)

I'm from Southern California and I've always heard them called Sand Crabs or Sand Dabs. Born and raised there, we'd always, always, always go hunting for them as kids. Usually, we'd just throw them back in the water where they'd catch a wave back up to the shoreline and start over again. I'm now in Maine and while I still see the V patterns in the receding waves and the bubbles that are usually a tell tale sign for these little critters, I don't find any of them. Mind you, it's the middle of March, so perhaps it's just too early or too cold still? Maybe they're tiny babies and I'm looking right past them? Does anyone know if these little guys are even IN the colder waters of New England? Anyway, I've never heard them called moles, pigs, fleas, hoppers or anything else. Though I admit, moles sounds more accurate than crabs.


 * There are a ton of them on the beaches in New Jersey. We call them Sand Crabs. We used to collect a bunch and then let them go to watch them race back to the water.MultK (talk) 16:20, 18 August 2010 (UTC)

Lookie Cookies?
I've removed the lookie cookies nonsense. I checked and nobody says this. Except one person, on flickr, who got the name from us. Has nobody even thought to double check this for four years? Eris Discord | Talk 03:55, 6 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Evidently not. Well spotted! --Stemonitis (talk) 09:05, 6 May 2010 (UTC)

Bioluminescence?
I have not come across anything suggesting that the Emerita can bioluminesce. Does anyone have a source for this? I don't believe that to be true.

Sandcraby16 (talk) 21:52, 19 July 2010 (UTC)

The fact that Emerita analoga are filter feeders leads me to believe that the bioluminescent quality that might be observed could be the result of the dinoflagellate plankton, Gonyaulax polyhedra which does exhibit bioluminescence, being injested by the sand crabs. Thank you,

BradFishSki (talk) 16:57, 15 August 2010 (UTC)

Edible
There is no reference as to the edibility. I looked on Internet but didn't find much except some fishing and aquarium blogs. Thanks. 68.36.148.100 (talk) 05:56, 9 February 2014 (UTC)

Many names
I can't remember my password, posting anon.

While at the beach this week I was digging these up and realized that what I called them, was not what everyone called them. So I took a photo and posted on facebook and opened the comments to see what other called these little creatures.

The results: Sand fleas, Sand crabs, Mole crabs, Sand Fiddlers, Sand dobbers, Fiddler crabs.

The photo and comments are public and can be seen here — Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.116.77.85 (talk) 14:33, 14 July 2016 (UTC)

External links modified
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conch bois
The article listed "conch bois" as an alternative name. I am skeptical and have removed it. It was recently added. --TeaDrinker (talk) 23:27, 15 June 2019 (UTC)


 * On further investigation, it seems to have been added several times by different users, with no citation. Sand fleas also seems to be a term of concern, although it is in the cited reference, so I will leave that in. --TeaDrinker (talk) 23:30, 15 June 2019 (UTC)


 * This joke is getting passed around on Facebook. --  BRIAN  0918 02:22, 16 June 2019 (UTC)


 * That would explain it. I've reverted again and sprotected. --TeaDrinker (talk) 04:02, 16 June 2019 (UTC)