Interaction with a ghost crab this morning.
I found a small ghost crab exhibiting stress behaviors. Probably didn’t like the bright sun. This species is nocturnal.
His little eyestalks pop up when I touch him. Note his upright eyestalks — a common feature among crab species that spend a lot of time on land.
I have no scientific explanation for this, however.
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Why did i think that ALL THIS TIME.
Mr. Crabs was just supposed to be some generid red crab.
HES AN ACTUAL TYOE OF CRAB
HES A RED GHOST CRAB.
WHEN DID THESE EXIST?!
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♡ happy 2 year birthday to the garden album by ghost crab ♡
click here to listen to the album influences playlist :)
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Ocean Animal of the Week.
Merry Christmas.
Also, happy birthday to an important friend of mine.
No, I am not friends with Jesus.
One of my oceanic companions justhappened to be born on Christmas day. I associate them heavily with crabs, so I decided to make their favorite crab the ocean animal of the week!
This beautiful specimen is the Pink Ghost crab. Adorable.
They are often found on the east coast of Africa, specifically from Kenya to the Eastern Cape region.
They follow the behavior patterns of many other crabs. Living on sandy beaches, burrowing in the sand and feeding on smaller creatures.
Ghost crabs as a species are often preyed upon by shorebirds such as seagulls, and raccoons.
In all honesty, there isn't much to say about pink ghost crabs, or ghost crabs in general... but they are very cute.
Other facts:
-There are around 20 species of ghost crab.
-They are reportedly similar to horn-eyed ghost crabs, but their coloring and eye decoration is different.
-Ghost crabs cannot swim.
-They often have to keep their gills wet, but can't remain beneath water for too long.
-Ghost crabs are extremely fast!
-Their square bodies can grow up to around 3 inches.
I have an extra animal prepared for this week, because I do what I want.
Also, I missed last week, so consider this something to make up for it.
Lionfish!
I totally did not choose this animal because their stripes reminded me of candy canes and fit the holiday spirit that I try to indulge in. Do not be ridiculous.
Lionfish are found in the Indian ocean and Western Pacific ocean, specifically in reefs (coral and mesophotic), lagoons and rocky subtrates.
They mainly prey on smaller creatures, such as small fish, invertebrates and mollusks. They have swim bladder muscles that allow them to have complete control over their placement in water, and edit their center of gravity in order to better capture their food.
They don't have many natural predators, but do engage in cannibalism. Their lack of predators is most likely due to their spines, which are known to be very dangerous.
Other facts:
-They are reportedly aggressive and hostile.
-There are many different species of lionfish, all falling under the genus of "Pterois".
-Their bright coloring acts as a warning. Most bright patterns in nature are meant as warnings.
-They are actually known to be invasive. They act as a threat to reef systems and their natural order.
-There are efforts being made to stop their invasion and preserve the ecosystems that they damage.
-If prepared correctly, they can be consumed by humans.
Both of these species are very different in nature, but I still consider them to be marvelous. Even if lionfish are invasive, they still hold a special place in my heart.
Merry Christmas. Or whatever form of holiday you may or may not celebrate. I do not care, so I do not judge.
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Did you know, that crabs have teeth like forms inside of their stomach, this is called a gastric mill and is used to grind up food. Lobsters also have this function.
For a certain species of crab though, the ghost crab, use this function to also create a growling sound to ward off predators, they do this by grinding the comb-like teeth together to emanate the noise.
It was difficult to find an image that looked somewhat realistic to this fact as the image search was scarce, but I think this is what it looks like:
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