Sandy-beach
Guides
Cicindela hirticollis
hairy-necked tiger beetle, moustached tiger beetle
Cicindela hirticollis is a medium-sized tiger beetle (2–14 mm) found on sand bars and sandy beaches across North America. It is distinguished by dark brown dorsal surfaces with very light cream or white elytral markings. The species is active in summer and exhibits distinctive thermoregulatory behaviors. Populations are currently in decline.
Excirolana
Excirolana is a genus of marine isopod crustaceans in the family Cirolanidae, comprising approximately 15 described species. Members are specialized inhabitants of exposed sandy beaches in tropical and warm temperate regions worldwide. The genus is characterized by ovoviviparous reproduction, in which embryos develop internally within paired uteri rather than in an external brood pouch. This reproductive mode is considered an adaptation to the harsh environmental conditions of intertidal sandy habitats.
Excirolana chiltoni
sand piranha
Excirolana chiltoni is a small intertidal isopod, commonly called 'sand piranha,' inhabiting sandy beaches of the Pacific Rim from Japan and Korea to Colombia. Adults reach approximately 8 mm in length and form dense aggregations exceeding 1,000 individuals. The species exhibits ovoviviparous reproduction with direct development, a 2-year lifespan, and pronounced spatial segregation during breeding.
Haustoriidae
Haustoriidae is a family of amphipod crustaceans characterized by stout, robust bodies adapted for burrowing in sandy sediments. They are dominant members of intertidal and shallow subtidal sandy beach communities along the Atlantic coast of North America, with some species extending into the Gulf of Mexico and Pacific coast. The family radiated during the Eocene, with the Pacific-endemic genus Eohaustorius representing the most basal lineage, diverging approximately 31 million years ago. Haustoriidae are distinguished from other amphipod families by their specialized morphology for sand-burrowing and their limited dispersal capabilities, which have resulted in strong population structure and cryptic diversity across their range.
Ocypode quadrata
Atlantic Ghost Crab
Ocypode quadrata, the Atlantic Ghost Crab, is the only ghost crab species occurring along the Atlantic coast of the United States. It inhabits sandy beaches from Massachusetts to tropical regions of the Western Atlantic. The species has been demonstrated to possess notable cognitive abilities including operant conditioning, landmark-based wayfinding, and mirror self-recognition. It functions as a predator, scavenger, and deposit-feeder in coastal ecosystems, and is widely used as a bioindicator for sandy beach health.
Tylidae
Calloused Beach Pillbugs and Heller's Isopod
Tylidae is a family of terrestrial isopods (woodlice) comprising approximately 27 species, with all but one species placed in the genus Tylos; the sole exception is Helleria brevicornis. Together with Ligiidae, Tylidae represents an early-diverging lineage among woodlouse families. Members are primarily associated with coastal sandy beach habitats in the supralittoral zone.