It lives primarily on the red mangrove Rhizophora mangle but is also commonly seen on the white mangrove Laguncularia racemosa and the black mangrove Avicennia germinans, ascending the trees when the tide rises and descending to the exposed mud when the tide goes down.
It is often found in its native range with the red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) and the white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa).
Avicennia germinans | Avicennia marina | Avicennia | Avicennia officinalis | Avicennia alba |
The species feed on over 150 types of plants, but mangroves (red, white, and black) and thatch palm berries make up the most important part of their diets.
The Mosquitia-Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast mangroves community includes a diverse number of mangrove species red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), black mangrove (Avicennia germinans), white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa), buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus), and another species of red mangrove (Rhizophora harrisonii) as well as the occasional rare occurrences of piñuelo mangrove (Pelliciera rhizophorae).
The forest at the mouth of the river is composed of three mangrove species: red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa), and black mangrove (Avicennia germinans).