Dotilla myctiroides

Dotilla myctiroides is a species of sand bubbler crab found on tropical shores and mud-flats of India, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Sri Lanka.^[2] They breed throughout the year but activity peaks during the monsoons. This species builds a burrow, called an "igloo", in unstable sand as well as in well-drained and firm sand. In building the igloo, the crab excavates sand and forms it into spherical pellets. These pellets are used to form a circular wall and roof in the burrow. The resulting structure holds a small amount of air in addition to the crab itself.^[3]

"Sun-burst" of sand beads prepared by the soldier crab

Dotilla myctiroides
Dotilla myctiroides from Devbagh, Karwar, India
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Malacostraca
Order:	Decapoda
Suborder:	Pleocyemata
Infraorder:	Brachyura
Family:	Dotillidae
Genus:	Dotilla
Species:	D. myctiroides
Binomial name
Dotilla myctiroides (H. Milne-Edwards, 1852)[1]