Shore life · La Saladita, Guerrero

Gulf Ghost Crab

Ocypode occidentalis

Spanish: Cangrejo fantasma del Pacífico

Gulf Ghost Crab (Ocypode occidentalis)
Photographed by santiago_flores on iNaturalist · CC-BY-NC

The gulf ghost crab, Hoplocypode occidentalis, is a species of ghost crabs native to the eastern Pacific coast of the Americas, from the Gulf of California to Colombia. It is the only species in the genus Hoplocypode. 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...

TaxonomyMalacostraca › Decapoda › Ocypodidae
Local records38 research-grade observations within about 50 km of La Saladita (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones)
Global records2,320 on iNaturalist
Most recent records2026 – 2026
Months of the 8 most recent records
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Recent local sightings

Interactive card with more photos, sounds and similar species Shore life guide iNaturalist Wikipedia

Cite as: “Gulf Ghost Crab (Ocypode occidentalis) at La Saladita”, La Saladita Field Guide, lasaladita.com/species/ocypode-occidentalis/, updated 2026-09-26. Observation counts and months come from iNaturalist research-grade records within about 50 km of 17.8375°N, 101.7606°W (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones); summary text from Wikipedia where present.