Archive for 'Ocypodidae'

Red Sea Ghost Crab (Ocypode saratan)

Red Sea Ghost Crab (Ocypode saratan)

Erissel is the easternmost point of Socotra. It is a windswept low-lying area governed by the elements. During cyclones the wind and sea wreak havoc on the landscape here, reshaping everything. Only the hardiest of plants and animals thrive here. The Red Sea ghost crab is well adapted to these changing conditions and in most […]

Red Sea Ghost Crab (Ocypode saratan)

Red Sea Ghost Crab (Ocypode saratan)

The north-facing beach of the tip of Erissel is wide and deep, with a large part only tasting the waves during monsoons. This is perfect conditions for the male Red Sea ghost crabs, as they can create these towers undisturbed by the tides and waves. The crabs only have to deal with the effects of […]

Inversed Fiddler Crab (Cranuca inversa)

Inversed Fiddler Crab (Cranuca inversa)

I found plenty of this species at this location and no signs of competing species. They thrive here next to a large date grove, where I rested in their pleasant shade. It has a peculiar forked tip on the dactyl (the movable part of the claw) of the large claw.

Red Sea Ghost Crab (Ocypode saratan)

Red Sea Ghost Crab (Ocypode saratan)

I found a huge number of this species. At night they were crawling everywhere on land – wherever I walked these crabs were foraging. These shots are at sunset, and they were very busy on the beach. None of the other beaches I visited had a population like this.