() Apparent pesticide-induced mortality of ghost crabs on a coastal South Carolina golf course.
Rainwater, T1, 1 University of California, Davis, California, USA
ABSTRACT- Laboratory investigations have demonstrated the sensitivity of various crab species to organophosphorus (OP) and carbamate (CA) pesticides. However, few incidents of pesticide-related field mortalities have been reported for these crustaceans. In 1993, I encountered 13 dead or moribund ghost crabs (Ocypode quadrata) on a coastal South Carolina golf course following turfgrass applications of the CA insecticide bendiocarb. Pesticide exposure in the crabs was not confirmed analytically, but field observations and pesticide residues in other wildlife following the same applications suggest the mortality and morbidity were the result of bendiocarb exposure. Ghost crabs are one of the apex carnivores on ocean beaches within their range, and exposure of these animals to OP and CA pesticides could have adverse impacts on crab populations and the ecosystems they support.
Key words: ghost crab, golf course, crustacean, carbamate insecticide