Its nocturnal burrowing is important for the recycling of nutrients in the mangrove ecosystem, although it is sometimes considered a pest of fish and prawn farms.

[5] Thalassina is found along the coast of the Asian mainland from Kerala, India to Vietnam, including Sri Lanka and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

[6] Its burrowing fulfils an important rôle in the mangrove ecosystem bringing organic matter up from deep sediments.

The animal's output forms large volcano-like mounds which can reach heights of 3 m (10 ft) and are vital to many other species such as Odontomachus malignus (an ant), Episesarma singaporense (a crab), Wolffogebia phuketensis (another mud shrimp), Idioctis littoralis (a spider), Acrochordus granulatus (a snake), Excoecaria agallocha (a mangrove) and termites.

[7] In parts of its range, including Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea and Fiji, the claws of Thalassina are eaten, but the meat is bland and it is never very popular.