Abstract
When dislocated offshore at their home beach, the sand fiddler crab Uca pugilator displayed an escape response, in which they moved directionally in the onshore direction. This response probably functions for predator avoidance of an area containing predators such as blue crabs. Directional orientation using celestial cues, beach slope, waves, and landmarks were tested. Male crabs correctly oriented in the onshore direction of the home beach in the presence of only celestial cues but were disoriented under cloudy skies. When exposed to slope, crabs moved in the upslope direction with the threshold slope being 3°. In a wave tank, crabs moved in the direction of wave travel. Crabs avoided a simulated landmark which was interpreted as avoidance of an approaching predator. Thus, celestial cues, beach slope, and waves can guide the onshore escape response of this fiddler crab species.
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