Open AccessGhost Crabs of Oman ( Crustacea : Brachyura :Ocypodidae)
Author(s) -
David A. Clayton
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
maǧallaẗ ǧāmiʿaẗ al-sulṭān qābūs li-l-ʿulūm/sultan qaboos university journal for science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2414-536X
pISSN - 2308-3921
DOI - 10.24200/squjs.vol1iss1pp27-35
Subject(s) - ocypodidae , littoral zone , crustacean , ecology , geography , range (aeronautics) , biology , fishery , decapoda , materials science , composite material
The sandy beaches of the coasts of Oman support five species of Ocypode ghost crabs. Ocypode cordimanus is found on supra-littoral sand dunes while O. saratan O. rotundata, and O. platytarsis occur on the open beaches. O. jousseamei is largely restricted to marine inlets or khawrs. The present records represent range extensions for all five species. The species composition of the Ocypode assemblages of Oman is unique and clearly distinct from that of either East Africa or India. A description of the Species. including at key for their identification is provided.