Atlantic Horseshoe Crab — printable fact sheet

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Atlantic Horseshoe Crab

Limulus polyphemus

The Atlantic horseshoe crab is a marine arthropod known for its hard, dome-shaped carapace and long, pointed tail spine called a telson. Despite their name, horseshoe crabs are more closely related to spiders and scorpions than to true crabs. They inhabit shallow coastal waters …

Classification

Invertebrate

Family

Limulidae

Habitat

Shallow coastal waters, estuaries, and tidal flats

Diet

Omnivore

Conservation status

Vulnerable

Lifespan

20-40 years

Weight

1.5–4 kg

Scientific name

Limulus polyphemus

Did you know?

Atlantic horseshoe crab blood is so valuable to the medical industry that a quart can be worth thousands of dollars.
Horseshoe crabs have ten eyes distributed across their body, allowing them to sense light and movement. Their blue blood contains a unique substance, Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL), which is vital for detecting bacterial toxins in medical applications. During their spring spawning season, thousands can be seen coming ashore simultaneously.

What I learned

Draw the atlantic horseshoe crab

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