Ghost Crab, Ocypode occidentalis

Ghost Crab, Ocypode occidentalis, Juvenile. Photograph taken off the beach within Parque National Huatulco, Huatulco, Oaxaca, March 2021. Photograph courtesy of Marina Sutormina, Stockholm, Sweden. Identification reconfirmed by Ondřej Radosta, Prague, Czech Republic.

Ghost Crab, Ocypode occidentalis. Caught by hand off the beach at km 21, Cabo Real, Baja California Sur, August 2004. Size: 12.5 cm (5.0 inches). And yes I can run faster than Usain Bolt!

Ghost Crab, Female, Ocypode occidentalis. Caught by hand off the beach at km 21, Cabo Real, Baja California Sur, January 2018. Size: 12.5 cm (5.0 inches).

Ghost Crab, Ocypode occidentalis. Found strolling the beach of India Bay, Huatulco, Oaxaca, January 2018. Photograph courtesy of Jason Quick, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Ghost Crab, Ocypode occidentalis. Found strolling the beach of India Bay, Huatulco, Oaxaca, March 2021. Photographs courtesy of Marina Sutormina, Stockholm, Sweden.

General information: The Ghost Crab, Ocypode occidentalis, is a member of the Ocypodidae Family of semi-terrestrial crabs. They are characterized by the unequal size of their claws (chelae) and long heavy eye stalks. Collection is fairly difficult as they are quite speedy and not afraid of crashing waves and they do have strong pinchers that can inflict major instant pain. There are reports that they are easy to catch by following their burrow and the report that they can dig faster than an hombre with a shovel is a myth. The Ghost crab is known to be nocturnal but are able to actually switch their temporal behavior based on seasonal changes.

Habitat and Range:  The Ghost Crab lives in close proximity to the surf line, with the larger ones found just above the high tide line and the small ones closer to the surf. They reside in burrows along the beach which when threatened they will scurry into for safety making them hard to capture. They do show signs of territoriality and homing ability, with homing being strongest in areas of low density. They range from the upper gulf of Mexico down the west coast of Baja, in the upper portions of the Sea of Cortez, along the coast of the mainland through to Guatemala, reaching Peru. inhabiting nearly every sandy beach south of Puerto Lobos. the same beach may harbor multiple generations of crabs creating different size groups.

Identification: Ghost Crabs can reach a maximum size of 15 cm (5.9 inches) with the majority of individuals being between between 1.5 cm (0.6 inches) and 4.5 cm (1.8 inches). The Ghost Crab is found along the Pacific side of the Baja, in the upper portions of the Sea of Cortez, and along the coast of the mainland through to Guatemala. The ghost crab is a light sandy color but still the darkest of the genus, and still being able to camouflage quite well on the sand.

Diet: The Ghost Crabs are nocturnal creatures appearing just at sunset being omnivorous macro-scavengers eating anything found in the drift line focusing on dead fish and crustaceans.

Conservation Status:  From a conservation perspective the Ghost Crab has not been formally evaluated. However, they are common and of limited interest to most and should be considered to be of Least Concern.

Synonyms:  Ocypoda occidentalis and Hoplocypode occidentalis