Subphylum Crustacea | Genus Ocypode Rank Species | |
Similar Ocypode brevicornis, African ghost crab, Golden ghost crab, Ocypode gaudichaudii, Ocypode pallidula | ||
Ocypode ryderi, also known as the pink ghost crab, is a species of ghost crab found on the east coast of Africa from the Eastern Cape Region to Kenya.
Contents
Identification
Body is pale pink with distinctive mauve/purple joints to the legs; square carapace and long, robust legs. The eyes are on long stalks but lack the extended horns found in Ocypode ceratophthalma and some other Ocypode species. The larger of the two nippers has a granular stridulating organ on the palm which consists of a single row of granules. Adults are on average 35 millimetres (1.4 in) in length.
Biology
Abundant on tropical beaches that are exposed to the sea. They burrow deeply by day and emerge at night to feed on deposited carrion and small animals.
Related species
Ocypode madagascariensis is almost identical but it is sandy coloured and its legs do not have mauve joints.