Author Identifier

Casper Avenant: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8217-4669

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

Food Webs

Volume

43

Publisher

Elsevier

School

Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research / School of Science

RAS ID

81815

Funders

Edith Cowan University / Woodside Energy / North West Shelf Flatback Turtle Conservation Program (NWSFTCP) / Ningaloo Turtle Program 2018–2021 (Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions) / Minderoo Foundation through the Minderoo Foundation Exmouth Research Laboratory / Dell Technologies / Ecological Society of Australia's Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment

Comments

Avenant, C. (2025). Insights into prey handling and feeding strategies by ghost crabs on sea turtle eggs and hatchlings. Food Webs, 43, e00400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fooweb.2025.e00400

Abstract

The feeding behaviour on sea turtle eggs and hatchlings by the golden ghost crab Ocypode convexa, a species endemic to the west coast of Australia, was observed in field and laboratory settings using infrared videography. On beaches where ghost crab densities are high, multiple crabs can feed on nests over several nights, often resulting in destruction of clutches. Crabs appear to anticipate the emergence of hatchlings, often congregating near nests in the moments prior to emergence. When feeding on eggs crabs rupture eggshells using the sharp tips of their claws, with tissue subsequently moved to the mouthparts for ingestion using the minor claw while the broken shell is held with the major claw. When feeding on hatchlings crabs generally restrain hatchlings using the large claw to grip them around the neck, while the small claw cuts through the soft skin around the neck to partially or fully sever the head before feeding from the cavity. Infrared videography was successfully used to observe cryptic prey handling and feeding behaviours that may be compromised by more traditional observational methods.

DOI

10.1016/j.fooweb.2025.e00400

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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