BOOO!
Yes, it is Halloween so I would like to take a moment to wish all of you a very Happy Halloween. Enjoy the night of ghosts, goblins and ghouls, but please be careful out there. Before you get dressed up and head out to scavenge for candy, let’s take a second to learn about an ocean creature that apparently was running out of ideas for their Halloween costume. Doesn’t the Ghost Crab, look like it just cut two holes in their mom’s favourite sheet and put it over their head? The truth is, the Ghost Crab loves this costume so much that they wear it all year long.
This little Halloween creature can be found scurrying along the sandy shores of many tropical and sub-tropical areas. Rightly so, they are also called Sand Crabs as a result of their love for digging. In fact, this little crab is capable of large, deep burrows which generally consists of a long shaft with a chamber on each end. As an added safety feature, they will have a second entrance into their two bedroom home….just in case they run out of Halloween candy and need to make a quick escape.
The Ghost Crab is sort of a homebody as they spend the majority of their day hiding from the heat (in summer) or the cold (in winter) in their nice deep burrow. As night falls they will emerge, as most Ghosts do, to feed on the dead…..oh wait, that’s Zombies. Never mine, the Ghost Crab will typically feed on mole crabs, clams, turtle hatchlings and carrion (dead animals). How about that! This particular Ghost does feed on the dead.
Although, they hang out in their sandy home, these ghastly crabs breathe through gills, like a fish. Therefore, they need to keep these gills wetted with seawater. I guess this is why it is important for them to have a house with an ocean view. Similarly, they need to venture back into the ocean to release their eggs, which will eventually turn into marine larvae. So apparently, this ghost haunts both land and water. I guess no place is safe from the diabolical and deadly……..Ghost Crab!
Have a great Halloween and enjoy your candy!
