Endowed Professor of Marine Science Jason Adolf’s marine biology lab students returned Sept. 30 to a beach where they previously studied the abundance of mole crabs to see if the recent nor’easter and shoreline erosion impacted their populations. Although the data is still being analyzed, the class concluded that their numbers were reduced.
Also known as sand crabs, Atlantic mole crabs (Emerita talpoida) are widespread on Jersey Shore beaches, collected by children in their buckets and used by recreational anglers as bait. Watch the video above for a look at the class conducting its work and hear why Adolf believes mole crabs make for an interesting research subject.