---
title: "Gulf Ghost Crab"
description: "Ocypode occidentalis — Other animals. The gulf ghost crab, Hoplocypode occidentalis, is a species of ghost crabs native to the Pacific coast of the Americas, from the Gulf of California to Colombia."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/gulf-ghost-crab
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Gulf Ghost Crab

> Ocypode occidentalis — Other animals. The gulf ghost crab, Hoplocypode occidentalis, is a species of ghost crabs native to the Pacific coast of the Americas, from the Gulf of California to Colombia.

- Scientific name: *Ocypode occidentalis*
- Category: `other` (Other animals)
- Habitats: `sea` (Sea & coast)
- iNaturalist observations: 2309
- Wikidata: [Q13908803](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13908803)
- iNaturalist taxon: [295361](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/295361)

## Names

- en: Gulf Ghost Crab
- es: Cangrejo fantasma del Pacífico

## Countries with the most observations

MX (1701), CR (100), SV (55), NI (32), GT (16), HN (8), PA (4)

## Summary

The gulf ghost crab, Hoplocypode occidentalis, is a species of ghost crabs native to the 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 can easily be distinguished from painted ghost crabs by the absence of "horns" on their eyes.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_ghost_crab

## Photo

![Gulf Ghost Crab](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/gulf-ghost-crab/medium.jpg)

Photo: Philipp Hoenle · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/146946597

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/gulf-ghost-crab?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).