Gulf ghost crab

Gulf ghost crab
Hoplocypode occidentalis male
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Subphylum:
Crustacea
Class:
Malacostraca
Order:
Decapoda
Infraorder:
Brachyura
Family:
Ocypodidae
Subfamily:
Ocypodinae
Genus:
Hoplocypode

Sakai & Türkay, 2013
Species:
H. occidentalis
Binomial name
Hoplocypode occidentalis
(Stimpson, 1860)
Gulf ghost crab distribution range (in yellow)
Synonyms
  • Ocypoda occidentalis
    Stimpson, 1860
  • Ocypode occidentalis
    Stimpson, 1860

The gulf ghost crab, Hoplocypode occidentalis, is a species of ghost crabs native to the Pacific coast of the Americas, from the Gulf of California to Colombia. It is the only species in the genus Hoplocypode.[1] Gulf ghost crabs are medium-sized, reaching a maximum overall body diameter of 6 in (15 cm). They are one of only two ghost crab species found in the eastern Pacific (the other being the painted ghost crabs). However, gulf ghost crabs can easily be distinguished from painted ghost crabs by the absence of "horns" on their eyes.[1]

  1. ^ a b Katsushi Sakai; Michael Türkay (2013). "Revision of the genus Ocypode with the description of a new genus, Hoplocypode (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura)" (PDF). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum – Nature. 56 (2): 665–793.