The Dancing Fiddler Crab Shows Off

This male dancing fiddler crab (Uca terpsichores) has built a sand “hood” at the entrance to his burrow, which he hopes will attract females to his humble abode—as if that big beautiful claw of his weren't enough! He shows off and taps that claw on the sand, which is double adapted to woo the crab ladies while fighting off other males. Normally a reddish color, males of this species blanch to bright white—seen here—when they wave their large claw to attract females into their burrow for mating.