# Atlantic Ghost Crab (*ocypode quadrata*) The Atlantic Ghost Crab is a fun and speedy little crab that loves to scurry across sandy beaches! With its light color, it can blend in with the sand, making it a sneaky critter to spot! - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 12 - **Habitat:** They live on sandy beaches and coastal areas. - **Also known as:** Beach Crab, Ghost Crab, Sand Crab ![Atlantic Ghost Crab](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ocypode_quadrata_%28Cahuita%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ocypode_quadrata_%28Cahuita%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Atlantic Ghost Crab is a pale, sandy-colored crab with a squarish body and large, stalked eyes. Its light body color allows it to blend almost perfectly into the beach environment, making it incredibly hard to spot as it scurries across the sand. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Malacostraca - **Order:** Decapoda - **Family:** Ocypodidae - **Genus:** Ocypode ## Interesting facts - Baby ghost crabs start life in the ocean and only move onto land as they grow bigger! - Ghost crabs can breathe air but must keep their gills moist, like they have built-in humidifiers! - If a ghost crab loses a leg in a fight, it can amazingly grow a new one back over time! - They make drumming sounds with their claws to talk to other crabs in their sandy neighborhood. ## Special abilities - **Sand Camouflage:** Atlantic Ghost Crab has a light, sandy exoskeleton that helps them blend seamlessly into the beach to avoid predators. - **Lightning Legs:** Atlantic Ghost Crab can run incredibly fast across the sand, reaching speeds of up to 8 km/h, to escape danger. - **Stalked Spy-Eyes:** Atlantic Ghost Crab has eyes on tall stalks that give them nearly 360-degree vision, helping them spot threats quickly. - **Underground Home Builder:** Atlantic Ghost Crab can quickly dig deep burrows in the sand to hide from the sun, extreme weather, and predators. ## Measurements & details - **Size:** 7 cm - **Weight:** 90 g - **Lifespan:** 4 years - **Speed:** 8 km/h ## Diet & Feeding An omnivore, it eats tiny ocean creatures, dead plants, and even other crabs! - **Primary Foods:** Mole Crabs, Coquina Clams, Insects, Carrion, Sea Turtle Hatchlings, Detritus - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Herring Gull](https://www.snappit.app/explore/herring-gull) (*Larus argentatus*) — Gulls often hunt young crabs on the beach. - **Eaten by:** [Raccoon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/raccoon) (*Procyon lotor*) — Raccoons raid beaches at night for crabs. - **Hunts:** Coquina Clam (*Donax variabilis*) — Crabs dig for and consume these small clams. - **Hunts:** Mole Crab (*Emerita talpoida*) — A common food source found in the surf zone. ## Traits - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Invertebrates](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/invertebrates) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Be careful not to touch their claws, they can pinch! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Atlantic Ghost Crab? Look for fins, arms, tentacles, shells and body symmetry. Underwater light shifts colors, so structure and markings usually matter more than shade. Sea Creature Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How big is Atlantic Ghost Crab? 7 cm ### How much does Atlantic Ghost Crab weigh? 90 g ### How long does Atlantic Ghost Crab live? 4 years ### How fast can Atlantic Ghost Crab move? 8 km/h ### What does Atlantic Ghost Crab eat? An omnivore, it eats tiny ocean creatures, dead plants, and even other crabs! ### Where is Atlantic Ghost Crab usually found? They live on sandy beaches and coastal areas. ### How does Atlantic Ghost Crab hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Cape Lookout Coast Guard Station](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-lookout-coast-guard-station) — US · Historic Site - [Fort Monroe National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-monroe-national-monument) — Virginia, US · National Park - [Texas State Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/texas-state-aquarium) — Texas, US · Zoo - [Bay Head Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bay-head-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District - [Bodie Island Lifesaving and Coast Guard Station](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bodie-island-lifesaving-and-coast-guard-station) — North Carolina, US · Historic Site - [Cape Lookout Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-lookout-village-historic-district) — North Carolina, US · Historic District [View all places to see Atlantic Ghost Crab](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/atlantic-ghost-crab) ## More Invertebrate - [Coral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral) - [Crab Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crab-spider) (*Mecaphesa asperata*) - [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) - [Brown Recluse Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-recluse-spider) (*Loxosceles reclusa*) --- Source: [Atlantic Ghost Crab: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/atlantic-ghost-crab)