Marine Wildlife Encyclopedia
Ghost Crab Ocypode saratan
Resting in the cool of its burrow during the day, the fast-moving ghost crab emerges at twilight to hunt. It will eat anything it can find, including other crabs, and also scavenges whatever was brought in by the last tide. During the mating season, male ghost crabs defend their burrows, but they rarely fight, any disputes being settled by ritualistic displays. Their burrows can be over 330 ft (100 m) from the sea and over 3 ft (1 m) deep.
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- Subphylum Crustacea
- Length About 1 in (3.5 cm)
- Habitat Sandy shores in deep burrows above the water line
- Distribution Coastal waters of western Indian Ocean, Red Sea
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