Ghost Crab

THE GHOST CRAB, Ocypode quadrata

While shelling on the beaches of Ocracoke Island, NC, Jenne and I would also keep our eyes open for Ghost Crabs and their burrows. Some of them are quite large, the burrows and the crabs, although they are non-agressive towards humans. We spent some time at night combing the beach for the crabs because they are rarely seen out of their burrows during the day. With a flash light in my right hand and a bottle of Merlot in my left, we searched the beach for them (no camera). We saw quite a few and even saw a pair mating! Female on her back and male on top. At first we thought one was eating the other (no, not crab oral sex), but they were indeed mating and what stamina. They were at it for over five minutes and then the male ran off into the night, the female rolled over and buried herself in the sand. In all of the years I have been to the beach and went looking for Ghost Crabs I have never seen them mate before.

Ghost crabs live in burrows along the sandy beaches of the Eastern United States. The crabs can reach relatively large sizes of over 50 mm carapace width. They are omnivorous and will eat other crabs, clams, insects, bird and sea turtle eggs, vegetation, and detritus. Feeding activity takes place at night, while burrowing occurs during the day. Burrows show zonation with young crabs found closer to shore, near water. Older crabs tend to burrow farther from water. The large eyes of the crab are sensitive to changes in light intensity. The crab can produce 3 sounds: a rapping of the claw on the substrate, a rasping stridulation of the legs, and a bubbling sound presumably produced from the gill chamber. Combat between males is highly ritualized and rarely ends with contact.