Ghost Crab

Ghost crab, perfect for a survival game The Atlantic ghost crab (Ocypode quadrata) is a species of decapod crustacean in the family Ocypodidae. Characteristics of the genus include one claw larger than the other. The typical life expectancy of O. quadrata is approximately 3 years. Its scientific name derives from the Greek root ocy ('fast') and ποδός (podos, 'foot'), in reference to the speed of the animal, unparalleled among crustaceans, which when it escapes from its predators reaches, according to the most optimists, up to 20 km/h. While in normal gait it uses all four pairs of walking legs, the fourth pair lifts off the ground when it accelerates and in emergency situations it uses only the first two pairs. Atlantic ghost crab near its burrow. Their genus is very important ecologically in their role of transferring energy from organic debris and small invertebrates to larger predators such as birds (such as owls) and small mammals (such as raccoons).