Photo of Animalia: Sand-bubbler Crab (species: Scopimera inflata)

Sand-bubbler Crab (Scopimera inflata)

© Stephen Coles

These magnificent little fellows emerge from their burrow, grab a chunk of sand and push it through their jaws, consuming the detritus within and forming the sand into a ball nearly the size of their body. The used pellet is tossed over their back and it's onto the next bit. The beach was covered with these filter feeding crabs. Thousands of holes, each surrounded by hundreds of balls, parting only for a little driveway out to the sea.

Photo taken on 2 Jun 2007