Share this:

"/>

The First Beach Chair Scientist post is about my favorite animal – The Atlantic Horseshoe Crab

Some might say that the horseshoe crab is quite possibly the scariest looking creature along the shoreline. However, I disagree. There’s actually a sweetheart of an animal underneath that tough, pointy, chitin exoskeleton. I am certain that the horseshoe crab has survived since before the time of the dinosaurs due to its ability to adapt and take in stride all conditions (Darwin’s theory of ‘only the strong survive’ should more aptly be taken as ‘the most adaptable species will prevail‘).

The shells that you may see washed up along the coast line are probably molts. Horseshoe crabs have to shed their exoskeleton just like crustaceans. They grow on average a quarter of their size each time they shed. Females grow to be approximately two feet across and males and a bit smaller (which helps for reproductive reasons).

Another reason that the horseshoe crab is a lot less intimidating than one might think is that the pointy ‘tail’ (telson) is not going to sting you at all. It is what helps the animal turn itself over when the ocean currents flip it a bit. For ten months out of the year horseshoe crabs live in the depths of the ocean floor. They are most often seen coming to the shore in May and June.

Image (c) FreeFoto.com

Please visit the Limulus Love page for more information about the Atlantic horseshoe crab.

Comments

  1. Bernard Sypniewski says

    Scary-shmary. I think that they are kinds cute. Are they related to trilobites (or any other kind of bytes)?

  2. wow, ok I spent a REALLY long time last night trying to figure out what these things were. They’ve been washing up on our beach like crazy after the storm we had last week. Thanks for helping me ID them. 😀

  3. i know that horseshoe crab was belong in animal kingdom,But it already respawn into other place this animal who lived n250 million years ago….

  4. the hoseshoe crab loks devestating not fun to play with but it looks ugly but cool lokking.

  5. Alfredo Fregoso says

    How cool is this animal you may ask?

    Well how about if we learn that it can be considered one of men’s best friend,
    their blood is used to ensure that drugs, vaccines, medical devices, blood tests
    etc. are free of bacterial toxins, it is by far the most reliable method to ensure
    there is no pathogens present.
    Horseshoe crab blood coagulates on instant around said pathogens, just think
    about the thousands if not millions of people saved by using their wonder blood!

  6. It’s hard to come by well-informed people for this topic, however, you seem like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks

  7. very scary when they come out and show there face, just a wild looking creature

  8. Hello to every , as I am truly eager of reading this website’s post to be updated regularly. It includes good stuff.

  9. excellent issues altogether, you simply won a emblem new reader.
    What woyld you recommend in regards to your put up that you jst made some days ago?
    Any positive?

  10. You’ll by no means marvel what time it’s once more once you flick thru an important choice of males’s
    watches, including designer manufacturers like Victorinox Swiss Military, GUESS, Gucci
    and Burberry.

  11. Facjal Center benefits from the effective FBX innterchange documents sryle developed by
    Kaydara, allowing export of 3d heads together with
    their contortions configuration to every major 3D application.

  12. The only demand to participate in a video game of Parasite Contrl is to have a battle level
    of 35 or above.

  13. I did not buy this with the expectation that every little thing would be per-optimized for this very first Apple big screen device.

  14. You have to use this app to comprehend just how remarkable it is!

  15. Genital herpes is triggered by a virus– either
    the herpes simplex virus type 1 or the herpes simplex virus type 2.

    Either virus can cause sores on the lips (cold sores) and sores on the genital areas.

  16. I’m not sᥙгe աһere yⲟu ɑrе ցetting yoսr info, bᥙt goοԁ topic.
    Ӏ needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more.

    Ꭲhanks for wonderful info Ⅰ wass looking for this іnformation fօr mу mission.

  17. I like the helpful info you provide on your articles.
    I’ll bookmark your blog and check again here regularly.

    I’m slightly certain I will learn lots of new stuff proper here!
    Good luck for the following!

  18. That is a great tiρ particulaly to those new
    tto the blogosphere. Brief but very precise infoгmation… Many thanks for sharing this one.
    A must read article!

  19. I would like to thank you for the efforts you have put in penning this site.

    I am hoping to check out the same high-grade blog posts from you later on as well.
    In fact, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get
    my very own website now 😉

Trackbacks

  1. […] the science behind life in the ocean or along the seashore.” So far there are entries on horseshoe crabs, seaweed and ocean […]

  2. […] 23, 2009 in Ocean No. I mentioned in the very first BCS blog entry that the horseshoe crab is a “sweetheart of an animal” and I will continue to defend […]

  3. […] 1. Why are horseshoe crabs amazing? from July 13, 2008 […]

  4. […] can you believe this is our 200th post? Since we began July 13, 2008 there have been quite a slew of interesting posts. I will post the top posts later this […]

  5. […] for your favorite band or music act? Start creating a pile of cardboard and make an homage to your favorite animal, brand, or company just like artist Mark Langan. These submissions can also be useful for around […]

  6. […] is the fourth birthday of the Beach Chair Scientist blog. Despite the fact that some companies label latex balloons as ‘biodegradable’ and therefore, […]

  7. […] From Beach Chair Scientist […]

  8. […] for research, conservation, and education initiatives on the world’s four species of horseshoe crabs. This was a result of the discussions from the 2011 International Workshop of the Science and […]

Speak Your Mind

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.