This study examines the spatial distribution of the ghost crabs, Ocypode quadrata Fabricius, 1787, in thirteen estuarine sandy beaches located along two main axes of the Paranaguá Bay Estuarine Complex, southern Brazil. Burrow densities of ghost crabs were measured at three beach levels established around the high tide mark during the summer and winter of 2005. All beaches showed a steep beach face slope (2.6 to 8.3º) with sediment composition varying from well sorted fine sand to very poorly sorted coarse sand towards the upper estuary. Water salinity ranged from around 31 at those beaches near the bay inlet, to 14 at beaches in the inner estuary. The burrow densities of O. quadrata in the estuarine beaches were similar to those observed in the oceanic beaches. However, the absence of burrows at the four innermost beaches suggests that low salinity and sediment penetrability may prevent ghost crabs from occurring in this region of the estuary. Burrow densities showed strong seasonal variability. The low densities observed during the winter are probably related to a delay crab activities due to low temperatures in the early morning during this season. The absence of a clear zonation pattern was related to estuarine beach morphology.
Estuarine sandy beaches; low-energy environments; management and conservation; salinity; zonation
