by Michael O'Shea

Taxonomic Classification

• Kingdom -Animalia ( animals )

• Phylum - Arthropoda ( insects, crustaceans )

• Class - Malacostraca ( crustaceans )

• Order - Decapoda ( shrimp , lobster , crab)

• Family - Ocypodidae ( fiddler crab, ghost crab )

• Genus - Ocypode ( ghost crabs)

• Species - Ocypode quadrata

Gray in color with speckles

Comunication• bubbling sounds from mouth

• hitting ground with claw

• rub legs together

2. Sight

• tall eyestalks

- can see 360 degrees around

- makes it hard to sneak up on

Hocus Pocus !

• semi enclosed body of water• freshwater rivers flow into it• has connection to ocean• brackish water

• hills made of sand• caused by wind and water

Sand is piled neatly Sand is scattered

Reproduction

• sexual maturity at 1 year old

• males fight to court female

( mostly ritualistic )

• mating occurs in males burrow

• females must keep eggs wet

• larvae spend 4-6 weeks in ocean

• food for other wildlife

• indicators of a healthy beach

Ways of helping indirectly

Ways of helping Directly

• Ghost Crab : Hungry Nocturnal Ghosties by Patricia B. Mitchell

(www .mitchellspublications.com/guides/shells/articles/0057)

• Atlantic Ghost Crab Ocypode Quadrata by David Knott

(w ww.dnr.sc.gov/cwcs/pdf/Ghostcrab.pdf)

• Atlantic Ghost Crab Chesapeake Bay Program

(w wwchesapeakbay.net/fieldguide/critter/atlantic_ghost_crab)

Illustrations :

the globe - " Free Stock photos "

(w ww.freestockphotos.biz/stockphoto/4684)

lifescycle of crab - " Black Sea "

( blacksea-education.rv/zooplankton.shtml )

male female difference in crab - " Jetty Fishery "

( w ww.jettyfishery.com/things-to-do/crabbing/ )