Natural diet of Ocypode quadrata (Fabricius, 1787) (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura) from the Northern Coast of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract Decapod crustaceans have a wide variety of feeding habits, alternating among herbivory, predation, saprophagy, and filtration. The occupation of various trophic positions in the food web is a key feature in the evolution of the group. Thus, we analyzed the natural diet of the crab Ocypode quadrata (Fabricius, 1787), commonly known as the ghost crab and typically found on sandy beaches. The crabs were collected in the region of Ubatuba, between July 2016 and May 2017. The individuals were dissected in the laboratory, and each stomach was weighed and visually assessed in relation to the...