Species profile
Atlantic Ghost Crab
Ocypode quadrata
At a glance
Atlantic Ghost Crab (Ocypode quadrata) is a crustacean present across the CatchRules coverage area but without species-specific bag, size, or season rules tracked in our regulatory dataset.
Confirmed by 16,014 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Florida, North Carolina, and Texas the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Can sprint at nearly 5 mph, making it one of the fastest crabs on any beach.
- Digs burrows up to 1.2 meters (4 feet) deep in beach sand.
- Can produce an audible rasping sound through stridulation — rubbing textured surfaces on its claws together.
- Ranges along Atlantic beaches from Rhode Island south to Brazil.
- Stalked eyes can rotate independently, giving nearly 360-degree vision.
Where Atlantic Ghost Crab are seen
Background
The Atlantic ghost crab, Ocypode quadrata, is a species of ghost crab, once described as an "occult, secretive alien from the ancient depths of the sea". It is a common species along the Atlantic coast of the United States, where it is the only species of ghost crab; its range of distribution extends from its northernmost reach on beaches in Westport, Massachusetts, south along the coasts of the…
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Atlantic Ghost Crab article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other crabs/lobsters/shrimp on CatchRules
Photo credit: (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY). Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.