Ghost-crab in action

Wildlife

Shot by KGK Deepak

Visakhapatnam

Company Name: Novartis Healthcare

Vote 82

After lying still for over an hour in the hot sun, careful not to startle the red ghost crabs, I was thrilled to witness and document a bit of nature’s magic—deposit feeding. Deposit feeding is a behaviour observed in crustaceans, where crabs ingest sand particles to extract the organic matter within. Ghost crabs, in particular, exhibit this feeding method with remarkable speed. As they feed, they egest the inorganic or undigested material through their oral cavity, leaving behind visible pellets on the shore. In the photo, a red ghost crab is captured in the act of deposit feeding—expelling undigested matter through its mouth and using its pincers to cut the egested matter into neat, round pellets.

So, ever seen black pellets scattered across the shore? Ever wondered who the architects are? And now you know!!!

EXIF: 1/1600 sec, f/10, ISO 800
Gear: Hand-held shot using Canon 200D paired with a 55–250mm lens