Horn-eyed ghost crab

Researchers from the GITAM School of Science, Visakhapatnam, have recorded the first verified case of a horn-eyed ghost crab preying on a mottled lightfoot crab along the Rushikonda shoreline on India’s east coast.

● Keystone Species Shows Unusual Behaviour
The horn-eyed ghost crab—considered a keystone species and an indicator of coastal ecosystem health—was observed capturing, handling, and consuming a mottled lightfoot crab.

● Species Usually Occupy Separate Habitats
While ghost crabs are sand-dwelling and typically confined to sandy beach zones, mottled lightfoot crabs reside in rocky crevices. These species do not usually interact due to their distinct habitat preferences.

● Behavioural Extension into Rocky Intertidal Zones
The ghost crab’s movement into the rocky intertidal area suggests a behavioural extension, likely linked to nocturnal foraging within mixed sand-and-stone terrains.

● Temporary Merging of Habitats
Researchers suggest the predation event occurred in a transitional zone where tides and waves create alternating patches of sand and rock, briefly merging the habitats of both crab species.

● Significance of the Finding
This marks the first documented case of the horn-eyed ghost crab actively hunting the mottled lightfoot crab, offering fresh insights into intertidal ecology and species interactions along India’s coastline.

Source: TH