PDA

View Full Version : Ghost Crab - the Designer



Arun Acharjee
20-01-2016, 02:13 PM
Hello everyone. I got this species on the sea shore of Digha, West Bengal. They are found profoundly there with the so called red crab. On the beach they used to make little holes in the sands to rest therein. To human, they are very shy. All the visitors to the place are much familiar with the species. But the most amazing fact I noticed the designs they decorate while making their shelter. Generally they do so in the early morning and in the evening. They are of various forms like flower, flame or just a simple pattern etc. All those are very much interesting, particularly when their designs resemble things they are away from. But their sculptures remind us the unity among the nature-dwellers. The cause behind the making of such designs is unknown (any help behind their making of such designs is appreciated).

EXIF Info:

Camera: Nikon D7000
Lens: Nikon af-s 35mm f/1.8 vr
ISO: 200
Aparture: f/4
Shutter sp: 1/100

Thank you.

Arun Acharjee
20-01-2016, 02:17 PM
The disign I encountered first and thought it should be documented.

Arun Acharjee
20-01-2016, 02:20 PM
And then I began to walk along the beach- from New Digha to Udaipur to find out some more of them. I found this one.

Arun Acharjee
20-01-2016, 02:22 PM
And there was another.

Arun Acharjee
20-01-2016, 02:25 PM
Found a flame-type sculpture for the first time.

Arun Acharjee
20-01-2016, 02:28 PM
And found a flower type again. Though differs a lot it seemed to me some similarities with a star fish is found here.

Arun Acharjee
20-01-2016, 02:31 PM
Here I found a flower alike design with the stick present. Some of the petals are gone and some remains. May it was an incomplete design.

Arun Acharjee
20-01-2016, 02:37 PM
This juxtaposition tells me that all of the species do nothing exactly similar even in the choice of the sand-balls. These sand-balls are used to make the beautiful designs. So there are differences of choices.

It was the last image of this series. Hope all of you will enjoy the fact. Thank you again.

Mrudul Godbole
22-01-2016, 01:29 PM
Very interesting behaviour. Nature is so amazing, such a small insect creating something this beautiful. The sands of the beach are its creation ground :). Good that you captured the different designs. It does resemble different shapes or forms. Nicely captured. Thanks for sharing.

P.S - Moving this to the Natural History section.

Arun Acharjee
22-01-2016, 08:06 PM
Very interesting behaviour. Nature is so amazing, such a small insect creating something this beautiful. The sands of the beach are its creation ground :). Good that you captured the different designs. It does resemble different shapes or forms. Nicely captured. Thanks for sharing.

P.S - Moving this to the Natural History section.

Thank you madam. Actually, this phenomenon is quite common in the beach though we, the commons care so little that they becomes hardly familiar with. Thanks again for moving the post here in the "Natural History' section.

Arun Acharjee
15-02-2016, 02:04 PM
Hello viewers. There are some mistakes in addressing the crab species in this post. Here is the details.
The crab species that use to make designs on the sea beach of Digha, W. B., mainly belong to Ocypodidae family and Dotillidae family. Among the crabs of Ocypodidae family the Ocypode(s) and the Uca(s) are known to create designs. Though the patterns or the designs are not so prominent or organised. The Red Ghost Crabs, generally known as 'Lal Kankda' (Eng. term of which is 'Red Crab'), belongs to the Genere- Ocypode ( Scientific name- Ocypode macrocera). Another crab, commonly known as Fiddler crab, belongs to the Genera- Uca, also known for the same unorganised patterns to be made on the beach. The crabs under Dotillidae family, generally, make uniform prominent designs. The very first image that I submitted in that series is actually of the crabs under this family (Genera- Dotilla). The complete family of Dotillidae is also known commonly as the Sand Bubbler Crabs.

When I submit the image(s) I was hardly aware of all these. Actually, I knew Ghost crabs are found very much there and mistook Dotilla as Ghost crab. I had little knowledge about the complete different family of the Dotillidae. So the mistake was. I am extremely sorry for all these confusions. The title, therefore, should be "THE SAND BUBBLER CRABS: THE DESIGNER". Asking for kind attention of India Wilds. Thank you.