Mangrove
Guides
Ammotrechella
Ammotrechella is a genus of curve-faced solifugids (camel spiders) in the family Ammotrechidae, established by Carl Friedrich Roewer in 1934. The genus contains approximately 15-18 described species distributed across the Caribbean, Central America, and parts of North and South America. Several species show transoceanic distributions, with some occurring on both sides of the Atlantic. One species, A. manggi, has been studied in Colombian mangrove ecosystems.
Andrenosoma cruentum
Mangrove Chiselmouth
Andrenosoma cruentum is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, subfamily Laphriinae. It belongs to a genus of predatory flies whose larvae feed on wood-boring beetle larvae. The species is found in mangrove habitats, distinguishing it from congeners that inhabit dry, sandy woodlands. Like other Andrenosoma species, adults are sit-and-wait predators that perch on exposed surfaces to ambush prey.
Aratus
mangrove tree crabs
Aratus is a genus of semi-terrestrial sesarmid crabs comprising at least two recognized species, with Aratus pisonii (mangrove tree crab) being the best studied. These crabs are specialized arboreal inhabitants of mangrove ecosystems throughout the Neotropics, occupying the canopy and prop root zones. The genus has gained scientific attention due to documented climate-induced range expansion along the Atlantic coast of North America, with populations establishing in salt marsh habitats beyond the historical mangrove range limit. Research on Aratus pisonii has revealed significant phenotypic plasticity in life history traits, behavior, and physiology across native and novel habitats.
Aratus pisonii
Mangrove Tree Crab
Aratus pisonii is a small sesarmid crab endemic to Neotropical mangrove forests of the Americas. It is one of the most abundant crab species in mangrove ecosystems, where it occupies the canopy and feeds primarily on mangrove leaf tissue. The species exhibits considerable life history plasticity, with morphology and reproductive investment varying across environmental gradients. It has expanded its range into salt marsh habitats in recent decades, facilitated by anthropogenic structures.
Armases
square-back American marsh crabs
Armases is a genus of sesarmid crabs comprising approximately 13 described species distributed across tropical and subtropical coastal regions of the Americas. These semi-terrestrial crabs inhabit salt marshes, mangroves, and estuarine environments, with some species exhibiting notable movement between marine and terrestrial habitats. Several species have been extensively studied for their larval development, metabolic ecology, and role in ecosystem energy transfer. The genus includes both species with larval export strategies to continental shelves and those breeding in supratidal rock pools.
Armases cinereum
squareback marsh crab, wharf crab
Armases cinereum is a small, dark brown crab native to Atlantic and Gulf coasts of North America. It inhabits intertidal zones from salt marshes to mangrove swamps, often found under rocks and debris. The species is highly omnivorous, consuming detritus, plant material, and small invertebrates. It is notable for extensive mobility between marsh and upland habitats, with females exhibiting wider ranging movements that may transport energy between ecosystems.
Cephalotes varians
Northern Caribbean Turtle Ant, turtle ant
Cephalotes varians is a strongly polyphenic turtle ant with three distinct female castes: small-bodied minor workers, larger phragmotic soldiers with shield-shaped heads used as living doors to block nest entrances, and reproductive gynes. The species exhibits gliding behavior, steering falls from trees using aerodynamic control. Native to the Neotropical region, it has been documented in the Florida Keys and listed as adventive in North America. Brain structure differs markedly among castes, with minor workers possessing disproportionately larger mushroom bodies associated with learning and memory, while soldiers and gynes have enlarged optic lobes.
Coccotrypes
Coccotrypes is a genus of bark beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) comprising approximately 130 described species. The genus is notable for its specialized seed-boring habits, with several species developing entirely within seeds or propagules of host plants. Coccotrypes dactyliperda (date stone beetle) and C. rhizophorae are economically significant pests of date palms and mangroves respectively, having achieved cosmopolitan distributions through human-mediated dispersal of host plant material.
Colobopsis riehlii
Mangrove Gate-keeper Ant
Colobopsis riehlii is an ant species in the genus Colobopsis, first described by Roger in 1863. The species belongs to the Colobopsis cylindrica group, a lineage known for specialized defensive behaviors including autothysis (self-sacrifice) in some members. It is commonly referred to as the Mangrove Gate-keeper Ant, suggesting an association with mangrove habitats. Like other Colobopsis species, it likely exhibits caste polymorphism with specialized major workers functioning as nest entrance blockers.
Coptodisca sp. (Conocarpus erectus)
An undescribed species of Coptodisca (family Heliozelidae) that develops as a leaf miner on Conocarpus erectus (button mangrove). The species remains formally unnamed but has been documented from field collections. Heliozelid moths in this genus are characteristically small, with larvae that create distinctive blotch or serpentine mines in host leaves. This species represents part of the poorly known Neotropical heliozelid fauna associated with coastal mangrove vegetation.
Coryphaeschna viriditas
Mangrove Darner
Coryphaeschna viriditas, commonly known as the mangrove darner, is a dragonfly species in the family Aeshnidae. It inhabits coastal and wetland environments across the Americas, with a broad distribution spanning the Caribbean, Central America, North America, and South America. The species is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable population and no immediate threats identified.
Gecarcinidae
land crabs
Gecarcinidae is a family of true crabs (Brachyura) adapted for terrestrial existence, commonly known as land crabs. Members possess modified gill chambers called branchiostegal lungs that allow aerial respiration. Adults are primarily terrestrial but require marine environments for reproduction; larvae develop in seawater. The family includes approximately eight genera distributed across tropical regions worldwide.
Gerroidea
Water Striders and Ripple Bugs
Gerroidea is a superfamily of semiaquatic true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) comprising at least three families—Gerridae (water striders), Veliidae (smaller water striders or riffle bugs), and Hermatobatidae—with over 2,000 described species. Members are specialized for life on the water surface, utilizing water-repellent legs and surface tension to remain afloat. The group occupies diverse aquatic habitats ranging from freshwater ponds and streams to marine coastal environments including mangroves and open ocean. Recent research has documented significant undescribed diversity in tropical regions and novel bacterial symbiont associations.
Hyblaea puera
teak defoliator
A small moth (wingspan 3–4 cm) and major defoliator of teak and mangrove ecosystems across tropical Asia. Adults have greyish-brown forewings that conceal brightly colored black and orange-yellow hindwings at rest. The species undergoes dramatic population outbreaks, with densities shifting from endemic levels to epidemic proportions seasonally. It has expanded beyond its native South and Southeast Asian range to Central America, Africa, and Australia, and has recently emerged as a serious invasive pest of mangroves in India and China.
Hyblaeoidea
Teak Moths
Hyblaeoidea is a small superfamily of moths in the order Lepidoptera, containing a single family Hyblaeidae with two genera (Hyblaea and Erythrochrus) and approximately 20 species. The superfamily has an uncertain phylogenetic position within the group Obtectomera, sometimes placed near Pyraloidea. Members are distributed in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The genus Hyblaea includes significant forest pests, notably Hyblaea puera, the teak defoliator.
Leptuca thayeri
Atlantic mangrove fiddler crab, mangrove fiddler
Leptuca thayeri is a true crab in the family Ocypodidae, commonly known as the Atlantic mangrove fiddler crab. Formerly classified in the genus Uca, it was moved to Leptuca in 2016 based on phylogenetic revisions. The species inhabits mangrove sediments along the Western Atlantic coast, where it constructs burrows and influences sediment structure through bioturbation. Males possess one greatly enlarged claw used for display and combat. The species exhibits a resource-free mating system, an unusual reproductive strategy among fiddler crabs.
Ligia baudiniana
Central American Seaslater
A large intertidal isopod (sea slater) native to the Greater Caribbean region, reaching 25–30 mm in body length. Distinguished from congeners by long uropods exceeding two-thirds body length and brush-like structures on the first pair of legs in males. Exhibits strong habitat fidelity to natural mangrove forests and rocky intertidal zones, with documented sensitivity to coastal development. Serves as intermediate host for digenean trematodes.
Liriomyza avicenniae
Liriomyza avicenniae is a leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, described from material associated with Avicennia (mangrove) hosts. The species epithet reflects this host association. As with other Liriomyza species, the larvae likely produce serpentine or blotch mines within leaf tissue. The species was described in 2002 and appears to have a restricted distribution tied to mangrove ecosystems.
Macrodiplax
Coastal Pennants
Macrodiplax is a genus of dragonflies in the family Libellulidae, commonly known as Coastal Pennants. The genus contains only two species and is distributed across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, with the notable exception of Africa. Members of this genus are characterized by their coastal habitat preferences and distinctive wing markings.
Mesovelia polhemusi
Mesovelia polhemusi is a marine water treader (family Mesoveliidae) described from Belize in 1990. It occupies a highly specialized habitat in tidal mangrove forests, an environment where few other aquatic insects occur. The species has been documented in southern Florida, expanding its known range beyond the type locality. It was named in honor of heteropteran specialist John T. Polhemus.
Osbornia
myrtle mangrove
Osbornia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae). It contains a single species, Osbornia octodonta, commonly known as the myrtle mangrove. The genus was established in 1862 by Ferdinand von Mueller based on specimens collected in Trinity Bay, Queensland. Osbornia is restricted to coastal mangrove habitats of Southeast Asia and northern Australia.
Panopeus
mud crabs
Panopeus is a genus of mud crabs in the family Panopeidae, distributed primarily in intertidal and estuarine environments of the Western Atlantic. Species within this genus exhibit sexual size dimorphism, with males typically larger than females, and show specialized habitat use patterns including vertical stratification within reef structures. Some species demonstrate extreme male-biased sexual size dimorphism driven by sexual antagonistic coevolution and coercive mating systems. Members of this genus are ecosystem engineers in mangrove and estuarine habitats, influencing sediment structure and energy flow.
Petrolisthes armatus
Green Porcelain Crab
Petrolisthes armatus, commonly known as the green porcelain crab, is a small porcellanid crab native to the southwestern Atlantic, particularly Brazil. The species has established invasive populations along the southeastern United States coast, where densities can exceed 30,000 individuals per square meter. Genetic studies confirm it as a single monophyletic species with exceptional geographic range spanning the Atlantic and eastern Pacific. It is frequently parasitized by the bopyrid isopod Aporobopyrus curtatus, which causes parasitic castration.
invasive-speciesfilter-feederparasite-hostintertidalporcelain-craboyster-reefsymbiosisplanktonic-larvaevisual-ecologycrustaceandecapodanomuraporcellanidaesouthwestern-atlanticeastern-pacificsoutheastern-united-statesbopyrid-parasiteAporobopyrus-curtatusestuarinemangrovesponge-symbiosisgaze-stabilizationachromatic-visionlarval-transportoyster-bedballast-wateraquaculturemonophyleticcryptic-species-complexparasitic-castrationzoeamegalopapleopodspermatophorechellipedcarapacegranulatedolive-greenblue-colorationFarol-IslandBrazilGeorgiaSouth-CarolinaFloridaPanamaCosta-RicaEcuadorPeruBaja-CaliforniaCaribbeanGulf-of-MexicoWest-IndiesAscension-IslandBermudaBahamasWest-Africarock-rubblesoft-sedimentshallow-subtidallower-intertidaldensity-30000-per-square-meter6-8-mm0.5-gorange-spotfour-segmented-chelipedantennae-outside-eyesvestigial-fourth-leg-pairfeathery-mouthpartszooplanktonscavengerpheromone-settlement-cue3-mm-sexual-maturity17%-parasite-prevalencebranchial-chamber-parasitesynchronous-growth-parasite-hostcastrationvisual-noisecaustic-flickerpolarization-sensitivityoptomotor-assaytidal-creekspectrally-narrow-environmentmitochondrial-DNAgenetic-variabilityexceptional-rangepre-Canal-Panama18591930s-Floridalineagewarm-temperate-Atlanticspecies-complexhalf-crabsquat-lobster-relativetrue-crabfalse-crabDecapodaMalacostracaArthropodaCrustaceaGibbes-1850Porcellana-armatagreen-porcelain-crabPetrolisthes-armatusScirtes goliai
marsh beetle
Scirtes goliai is a small marsh beetle described in 2012 from specimens collected in southern Florida, the Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands. The species belongs to Scirtidae, a family commonly known as marsh beetles for their association with wet habitats. Its distribution is expected to extend throughout the broader Caribbean bioregion.
Sphaeroma
pillbug, roly poly, marine pillbug
Sphaeroma is a genus of aquatic isopod crustaceans in the family Sphaeromatidae. These small crustaceans are commonly known as marine pillbugs or roly polies, though they are distinct from terrestrial isopods. The genus contains multiple species distributed across marine and estuarine environments globally. Some species, such as S. terebrans, are specialized wood-borers in mangrove habitats, while others inhabit rocky intertidal zones or construct burrows in soft sediments. The genus has been subject to recent taxonomic revision, with new species described from the northeastern Pacific and elsewhere.
Ucides cordatus
swamp ghost crab, caranguejo-uçá, Atlantic mangrove ghost crab
Ucides cordatus is a large mangrove crab endemic to the Atlantic coast of the Americas, ranging from Florida to Uruguay. It is one of two species in the genus Ucides and holds substantial economic and ecological importance, particularly in Brazil where it supports artisanal fisheries. The species exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism, with females typically larger than males and differing in carapace coloration. Population declines have been documented since 1988 due to overharvesting, habitat loss, and disease.
Ucididae
mangrove crabs, uçá-crabs
Ucididae is a family of semiterrestrial brachyuran crabs currently recognized as containing a single genus, Ucides, with Ucides cordatus as the best-studied species. These crabs are obligate inhabitants of neotropical mangrove ecosystems, where they construct deep burrows in intertidal sediments. The family exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism in morphology and behavior, with males possessing disproportionately large chelipeds and females showing abdomen enlargement for egg incubation. Ucididae species are economically significant throughout their range, supporting artisanal fisheries in Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Suriname.