The density of the Atlantic marsh fiddler crab (Minuca pugnax, Smith, 1870) (Decapoda: Brachyura: Ocypodidae) in its expanded range in the Gulf of Maine, USA

Abstract

The Atlantic marsh fiddler crab, Minuca pugnax (Smith, 1870), is a climate migrant that recently expanded its range northward into the Gulf of Maine. We tracked the M. pugnax population within the Great Marsh, in northeastern Massachusetts, USA, since it was first detected in 2014 using burrow counts. Because burrow counts can overestimate fiddler-crab density, we used camera traps to determine the relationship between burrow densities and fiddler-crab densities in 2019. The burrow count surveys show a six-fold increase in the density of M. pugnax in the Great Marsh from 2014 to 2019. Results indicates that the fiddler-crab population in the expanded range is established and growing. Based on burrow counts, however, the density of M. pugnax in the expanded range (6 burrows m–2) remains much lower than those found in the historical range (up to 300 burrows m–2). Based on the camera traps, we determined that burrow counts overestimated fiddler-crab densities by 47% in 2019. There was, on average, one crab detected for every two burrows observed. This result suggests that estimates of densities of M. pugnax based on burrow counts should be reduced by half. Minuca pugnax is an ecosystem engineer that can influence saltmarsh functioning and the magnitude of that influence is related to its density. Our results imply that the populations of M. pugnax in the expanded range are currently having minor impacts on marshes relative to larger populations in the historical range, but their impact will increase as the populations grow.