Abstract
Ghost crabs are exposed to vehicles on sandy beaches and adjacent habitats. The occurrence of individuals on coastal roads constitutes one issue to be considered for beach management at regional scales. In this context, we aimed to test whether the abundance of the ghost crab Ocypode quadrata in the road crossing a beach vegetation is predicted by light intensity. Ghost crabs on the dirt road were searched at night along a beachfront in a vehicle at ∼20 km/h. The number of crabs on nearby beaches was counted by walking along the intertidal zone. The probability of finding crabs was lower in moderate-impacted road stretches irrespective of light intensity. The same spatial trends of ghost crabs abundance on the road was found on the beaches at night. Therefore, the population size on the beach may determine the amount of individuals crossing the road and exposed to vehicle collision.
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