Atlantic horseshoe crab [Limulus polyphemus]
Description
The Atlantic horseshoe crab is a marine chelicerate arthropod. Despite its name, it is more closely related to spiders, ticks, and scorpions than crabs. It is known for its large, hard carapace, which is shaped like a horseshoe. It has a long, pointed tail, or telson, which it uses for steering, not for stinging. It inhabits shallow ocean waters and comes ashore to mate and lay eggs. It plays a critical role in the ecosystem, as its eggs provide a food source for migrating shorebirds. Its blue blood, which contains a substance called Limulus amebocyte lysate, is used in the medical industry to test for bacterial endotoxins.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Arthropods
Arthropoda
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Horseshoe Crabs
Merostomata
|
| Order |
Xiphosura
Xiphosura
|
| Family |
Horseshoe Crabs
Limulidae
|
| Genus |
Atlantic horseshoe crab
Limulus
|