Ghost-like creatures filmed creating ‘mini volcanoes’ along Texas beach
Despite their shrimp-like appearance, ghost shrimp are actually more closely related to crabs, according to the Padre Island National Seashore.
Ghost shrimp creating 'mini volcanoes' all over Texas beach
Wildlife officials at Quintana Beach County Park, located on the upper Texas Gulf coast, have explained the reason behind the sudden appearance of small sand mounds on their beaches this week.
QUINTANA, Texas – Volcanoes aren't something you'll find in Texas, but these small, volcano-shaped mounds on one upper Gulf Coast beach reveal the complex and dynamic world beneath our feet.
Beachgoers at Quintana Beach County Park witnessed ghost shrimp during an extremely low tide on Sunday morning.
"We are experiencing an extremely low tide this morning, and ghost shrimp are creating mini volcanoes all over the beach," park staff shared on Facebook along with a mesmerizing video of the small, soft and translucent crustaceans. "They are an important part of intertidal ecosystems because they drive oxygen into the sand as they burrow, which helps organic matter to decompose, enriching the sediment, and ultimately providing food for more creatures."
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Though they are only about 4 inches long, ghost shrimp can dig burrows up to four feet deep.
(Jamie Kennedy / NPS)
Despite their shrimp-like appearance, ghost shrimp are actually more closely related to crabs, according to the Padre Island National Seashore.
Ghost shrimp live in the Gulf of Mexico, according to the National Park Service (NPS). They can grow up to 3 to 4 inches and are known to collect food by digging burrows in the sediment near the water's edge. These burrows can reach depths of up to 4 feet.
"Outside of the National Seashore, fishermen use ghost shrimp as bait, using a plunger-like sand pump that sucks the shrimp out of their burrows, but are allowed to collect no more than 20 per day," the NPS said.
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At low tide you can often see little volcano-like holes in the sand, which are ghost shrimp burrows.
(NPS)
According to the NPS, ghost shrimp, despite their low rank in the food chain, are hardy creatures that can survive for up to 6 days without oxygen.