‘Notoriously shy’ ghost crab caught dancing on beach, Outer Banks park video shows

One of the most “notoriously shy” crabs on the East Coast was caught showing off in a video posted Tuesday by Cape Hatteras National Seashore on the Outer Banks.

It shows a fast-moving Atlantic ghost crab doing something that is a cross between an Irish jig and “The Hammer Dance,” made famous by MC Hammer’s hit “U Can’t Touch This.”

“Let’s dance!” the park posted with the 40-second video. “Six strong legs are capable of carrying ghost crabs along at speeds up to 10 mph.”

Commenters on social media took to calling the display “the dance of the ghost crab,” while some said it represented Americans emerging from their coronavirus lock downs.

Technically, the crab’s strut was part of tidying up the entrance to its home, but it definitely appeared to be doing it with more flair than one expects from a crustacean.

“Ghost crabs are notoriously shy, and with 360 degree vision, are very sensitive to any action that occurs around them,” OuterBanks.com reports.

“This is why many daytime beach goers will never encounter them, unless they are perfectly still. ... In these cases, a ghost crab may break out of an otherwise-unnoticeable hole in the sand to deposit some of the remnants of their cleaning efforts,” the site says.

Ironically, ghost crabs can hold their breath for up to six weeks, but can’t swim, the National Park Service reports. Go figure.

They get their spooky name by being able to blend easily into the sand, according to the park service. Plus, they prefer to come out to feed only at night, like little ghouls.

“Have you walked down the beach at night and seen movement out of the corner of your eye?” Cape Hatteras National Seashore once wrote in a Halloween Facebook post.

“Have you heard a slight skittering noise as the wind starts to die down? You may have witnessed the creature that haunts the sands of Cape Hatteras National Seashore — the Atlantic ghost crab!”

They grow to no more than two inches in length, Animal Diversity Web says. But their beach tunnels may extend as far as four feet down, including rooms wide enough for them to turn around, the park service says.

This story was originally published May 26, 2020 at 12:45 PM with the headline "‘Notoriously shy’ ghost crab caught dancing on beach, Outer Banks park video shows."