Ghost Crab Beach Colouring

The ghost crab is a quick beach animal named for the way its pale shell seems to disappear against sand. Species in the genus Ocypode live on tropical and subtropical shores around the world. The Atlantic ghost crab occurs on beaches of the western Atlantic, including the Caribbean and the eastern United States. An adult's shell is commonly about 5 centimetres wide, though size differs among species. A ghost crab may live for roughly 3 years in the wild. It spends much of the day inside a deep burrow, then becomes active near dusk and at night when the beach is cooler. Two tall eye stalks give the crab a wide view of its surroundings. Six strong walking legs can carry it forward, sideways, or backward at remarkable speed; some ghost crabs have been measured near 16 kilometres per hour. The two claws are often unequal in size and help collect food. Ghost crabs eat small clams, insects, other tiny shore animals, eggs, and washed-up scraps, so they act as both hunters and beach cleaners. Their burrows may extend more than a metre into moist sand. Digging mixes air into the beach, and many burrows can be a sign of a lively, healthy shoreline. Although ghost crabs spend time on land, they still need to keep their gills damp and regularly visit the water's edge. This page shows a ghost crab beside its round burrow with calm waves behind it. Use ivory, pale yellow, sandy beige, or light grey for the shell so the crab can camouflage. Add a gentle darker edge to the claws and legs, but leave highlights white. The eye stalks may be cream and the eyes dark brown or black. Colour the dry sand warm gold and make the damp sand near the waves a cooler tan. Try several blues or blue-greens for the sea, keeping the wave tops white. The shells can be coral pink, peach, cream, or striped brown. Finish the dune grass with natural greens and the cloud with the faintest blue shadow.

◫ A4 size✎ Bold outlines♡ Ages 3–8

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