Ghost Crab Ocypode quadrata

Ghost Crab Ocypode quadrata

Ghost crabs can be found on the upper beach and dunes around most of Florida. Adults have square yellow or white bodies while juveniles are mottled. Ghost crabs feed on small animals in the swash zone and any detritus washed up along the shore. These animals construct burrows in the sand, sometimes forming complex tunnel systems. Normally these animals reside in their burrows during the day and are active from dusk till dawn. If caught outside their burrow, ghost crabs may hide just below the suface of the sand to camouflage themselves from predators. Their pale coloration and this ability to disappear is the source of this animal's common name.

Image Credit: FWC