Horseshoe Crabs

This horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) on the beach was not alive; it was washed ashore overnight. But I was reminded how scientifically important these ancient animals are to medical research. Horseshoe crabs have been around for more than 300 million years, making them even older than dinosaurs. They look like prehistoric crabs, but are actually more closely related to scorpions and spiders. It has a hard exoskeleton and 10 legs, which it uses for walking along the seafloor. I was surprised to learn that it also uses appendages and legs to crush food, such as worms and clams, and maybe some algae, then uses those appendages located in front of its mouth to carry it to the mouth. No teeth!

This one was found along the Gulf coast (St. Pete beach), but most are located along the Atlantic seaboard. The Delaware Bay ecosystem considers them a keystone species. 

Horseshoe crab blood is a bright shade of blue, as well as having remarkable antibacterial properties that have proved invaluable to the medical industry.

https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Invertebrates/Horseshoe-Crab

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/horseshoe-crab-blood-miracle-vaccine-ingredient.html#

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