Locals are spotting multitudes of “mini volcanoes” along a south Texas beach this week, constructed by creatures vital to the local ecosystem.
Quintana Beach County Park officials reported small “mini-volcanoes” of sand popping up along the 52-acre Quintana beachfront in the morning hours of December 10. These small mounds were revealed due to the area experiencing “extremely low tide.”
Video of the beach reveals dozens of the mounds dotting the area, with some appearing to “erupt,” pushing out sand and creating a cone structure similar to a volcano. Quintana Beach County Park said these structures are made by burrowing ghost shrimp.
Ghost shrimp, named due to their transparent bodies, are a type of crustacean related to crabs that typically burrow in the sand up to four feet deep near the water’s edge as they forage for food. Scientists have discovered four species of Ghost shrimp residing in the Gulf Of Mexico, according to the National Park Service (NPS).
These creatures are considered essential to local ecosystems.
“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,” said Quintana Beach County Park officials in their December 10 post.
The crustaceans can survive for six days without the need for oxygen. Some fishermen use these creatures as bait beyond the National Seashore; however, along the National Seashore of Texas coastline, particularly at Padre Island, these creatures are protected because they are a vital component of the food chain.
“At the park, these shrimp are protected from being used as bait by fishermen, and extracting the shrimp is prohibited in order to provide a healthy food supply to migratory birds,” explained the NPS on its website.
