QUINTANA, Texas — A Lone Star mystery was quickly solved after mystery mounds were seen popping up on a Texas beach over the week.
The mounds were popping up on the beaches at Quintana Beach County Park. However, the mystery was quickly solved when park officials explained that the mounds, or “mini volcanos,” were from burrowing ghost shrimp.
Ghost shrimp are three to four inches long and can dig burrows four feet deep, park staff said.
They added that ghost shrimp 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.