Three species of crabs Uca (Leptuca) annulipes (Ocypodidae), Macrophthalmus depressus (Ocypodidae) and Scylla
serrata (Portunidae) were found as ‘resident crabs’ of Sandspit backwaters. Macrophthalmus depressus was found to be
the most populated crab observed in all the three intertidal zones and also in the three transects studied .The diversity
observed is rich in low tidal zone 115 crabs / m2 and a bit behind 113 crabs / m2in high tidal zone and an intermediate
occurrence in mid tidal zone (64 crabs / m2). In the more landward , Avicennia zone, the species composition of the crab
community remains constant whether the vegetation is intact or with no vegetation (Ruwa, 1997). Crabs are the most
important group of animals in the mangrove ecosystems and they utilize every inch of the muddy habitat (Warner, 1969;
Wilson, 1989). Trivedi et al. (2012) also reported that the Macrophthalmus depressuspresent in good density towards
open mud flats as compared to sheltered mud flat from the Gulf of Kutch, Gujarat.