Newsroom, December 05, 2025: Scientists at Andhra University's Department of Zoology in Visakhapatnam have documented a striking hunting strategy in the horn-eyed ghost crab (Ocypode ceratophthalma), revealing how the nocturnal scavenger uses its oversized eyes to detect vibrations from prey up to 50 cm away, then launches lightning-fast digs to capture sand bubbler crabs or small fish in under a second.
The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, observed the behaviour on Vizag's Bheemili and RK Beach during low tides, noting the crab's pale, translucent body and horn-like eyestalks provide a camouflage edge in moonlit sands, allowing it to "ghost" undetected until the strike.
Lead researcher Dr. K. Venkateswara Rao explained the adaptation's evolutionary edge: "These crabs aren't just beach cleaners; their vision-tuned hunts sustain coastal ecosystems by controlling populations." The findings, based on 200 hours of fieldwork, highlight climate threats like rising seas eroding habitats.
