Fiddler crabs are abundant, semi-terrestrial crustaceans inhabiting tropical, subtropical and warm temperate coasts worldwide. Some species build above-ground sedimentary structures at or near the opening to their burrows. The functions and shapes of these constructions vary interspecifically and according to the sex of the builder. Here, we compile the dispersed reports on these structures, suggest uniform naming for different shapes, review explanations for their functions and explore associations between the attributes of builders and their structures. We found that 47 fiddler crab species build at least one type (or subtype) of structure, including chimneys, hoods, pillars, semidomes, mudballs, and rims. Sedimentary structures show a strong association with sediment type as well as builder front type, genus and sex, but not with fiddler crab clade. Experimental studies have revealed distinct, sometimes multiple functions for some of these structures (e.g., female attraction, reduction of aggressive behavior and/or landmark orientation); however, most studies have been observational leaving the proposed functions of these structures for many species untested. Both field and laboratory experiments as well as observational studies can help us to better understand these sedimentary structures and their role in fiddler crab behavior and ecology.

中文翻译：

---

招潮蟹及其地上沉积结构：综述

招潮蟹是栖息在全球热带、亚热带和暖温带海岸的丰富的半陆生甲壳类动物。一些物种在其洞穴的开口处或附近建造地上沉积结构。这些建筑的功能和形状因种间和建造者的性别而异。在这里，我们汇编了关于这些结构的分散报告，建议对不同形状进行统一命名，回顾其功能的解释，并探索建造者的属性与其结构之间的关联。我们发现 47 种招潮蟹物种构建了至少一种类型（或亚型）的结构，包括烟囱、罩子、柱子、半圆顶、泥球和边缘。沉积结构与沉积物类型以及建造者前沿类型、属和性别有很强的关联，但不是与招潮蟹进化枝。实验研究揭示了其中一些结构的独特功能，有时具有多种功能（例如，女性吸引力、减少攻击行为和/或标志性取向）；然而，大多数研究都是观察性的，许多物种的这些结构的拟议功能未经测试。野外和实验室实验以及观察研究都可以帮助我们更好地了解这些沉积结构及其在招潮蟹行为和生态中的作用。