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How to handle a horseshoe crab

July 10, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Many horseshoe crabs you see this time of year along the shore are probably “molts”. You can tell if the exoskeleton seems hollow. Insider science tip: If the horseshoe crab has a slight opening at the opposite end of the telson (i.e., pointy “tail”) – it’s a molt.

However, if you see a live one that has been stranded on shore, you may want to help the living fossil out and flip it. But, be sure to do it carefully and handle it in the safest manner. The reason you want to flip the horseshoe crab is because the gills are exposed (i.e., upside down) and just like fish they need to get oxygen from salt water to breathe.

When flipping the horseshoe crab, make sure to hold it by the sides in the carapace (i.e., upper exoskeleton) and not the telson. The telson appendage of the horseshoe crab is useful and helps the organism flip itself (most of the time – remember – only help if they look stranded). If you pick the organism up this way tje telson may risk breakage. Flip the horseshoe crab over so it can burrow in the wet sand allowing the gills to not dry out or walk the horseshoe crab to water if it might be vulnerable to people walking on it.

Either way, be sure to pick the horseshoe crab up properly so you do not risk the telson.

Filed Under: Atlantic Horseshoe Crab, Invertebrates

Horseshoe crabs confirmed as members of arachnid family

March 13, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Even though they have ten legs – not, eight – we’ve always said horseshoe crabs are members of the arachnid family. It was first theorized by E. Ray Lankester in 1881. But, until recently, it had not been proven in terms of genetics. Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studied the molecular evolutionary patterns of Limulus polyphemus to confirm Lankester’s theory. So they are still a great addition to your Halloween decoration box.

Image (c) factzone.com

Filed Under: Atlantic Horseshoe Crab

Horseshoe crab craft template

October 27, 2017 by 1 Comment

Last year I was pretty proud of my sea & sky pumpkin featuring constellations, a sunset, fish, a seahorse, and horseshoe crabs and I’m at a loss on what to do this year. I started a template for a much larger horseshoe crab so I thought I would share it with you (HSC_template).

I actually cut out and created some artwork for my office.

Filed Under: Atlantic Horseshoe Crab, Random Fun! Tagged With: , , ,

My awesome, overprotective mom and horseshoe crabs

May 14, 2017 by Leave a Comment

limuluslove_beachchairscientistwebNo joke. I like horseshoe crabs, but not more than my family. Especially my mom. Let me tell you a story about how incredible she was one particular evening in early June. It was probably about 2002 and I was a seasonal employee for the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife. The job was awesome in every sense. Except the hours … either really early for tagging stripers along the Delaware Bay or really late to survey HORSESHOE CRABS!

In case you haven’t heard watching the horseshoe crabs come up to the wrackline to spawn is an incredible experience (check out my post on the short and sweet of horseshoe crab spawning here). You might see some Limulus polyphemus the nights near a full moon or new moon right as the sun is going down. But, it’s not until the tide is at its highest point that the ancient fossils really come out of their hiding spots. 2.IMGP1651-Photograph-James-Bulley-1024x680My co-workers and I went about as normal for this event and used the  quadrat to estimate the amount of females and males every six steps (the females are much bigger!). We’d log the numbers on a clipboard. After the length of the beach that was our responsibility we’d head home. It was about 2am one particular morning when we finally made it back to the van. I also worked as a waitress in the summer so it had been a long day. The data sheet was my responsibility. It blew away. It’s really windy by the sea usually!

We didn’t fudge any numbers. I went back the next night … but, not alone. My amazing, overprotective mom came with me. After all, I had to drive about an hour to a small town along the Delaware Bay in the middle of the night. It was going above and beyond. I mean, she’s not a nature-type so this was in pure mama bear mode that she made the trek with me. It was incredible … my mom was totally amazed by the phenomenon too. One minute there were about fifteen horseshoe crabs and the next hour as soon as high tide occurred they were covering the beach! That night I was able to share my love of teaching and horseshoe crabs with someone I loved. She exuded such enthusiasm that I have no doubt it’s one reason I keep this blog and it’s focus of all things horseshoe crabs going. She might have been pulling my arm and thought the whole experience was really gross and icky, but parents know how to let their kids shine and that’s just fine with me.

2002_0516_005633aa

NOAA’S Ocean Today provides a great view of the field experience, too. Yes, I did wear a headlamp like those citizen scientists.

What citizen science projects have you participated in lately? Check out what’s going one here.

Filed Under: Atlantic Horseshoe Crab, People, Science Communication Tagged With: , ,

The short and sweet of horseshoe crab spawning

April 29, 2014 by 2 Comments

You may have heard about the phenomena of horseshoe crab spawning … but, do you really know what’s going on? It’s when hundreds of thousands of these ancient arthropods (dating back 400 million years!) make the journey to low-energy sandy beaches along the Atlantic coast, predominately along the Mid-Atlantic region (highest concentration found along the Delaware Bay), around the time of the full and new moons of May and early June to spawn. Here’s the distilled version of the horseshoe crab spawning saga complete with the words you need to know (i.e., “pedipalps” and “satellite” male) if you want to be considered a horseshoe crab expert. Who doesn’t?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachchairscientist/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachchairscientist/

  1. Journeying from intertidal and deeper waters, male horseshoe crabs arrive near the beach waiting for females.
  2. As the females come closer to shore, males attach to the female’s abdomen. The extra claw, or “pedipalps”, is what the male uses to attach itself to the females.
  3. Not just the one … but, many “satellite” males follow the conjoined pair.
  4. The females dig a depression about 5 to 30 centimeters deep in the upper part of the beach and deposit the clusters of eggs.
  5. External fertilization occurs – Allows for a little extra competition from the “satellite” males!
  6. Repeat steps 1 through 5 multiple times per season, laying 3,650 to 4,000 eggs in a cluster (usually an estimated 88,000 eggs annually!).
  7. In 2 to 4 weeks after fertilization, planktonic larvae hatch from the eggs. Some slow moving larvae may even winter within the nests and hatch out the following spring.
  8. After hatching, larvae swim for about six days before they relax in shallow waters to molt into their first juvenile stage in approximately 20 days.
  9. For the first two to three years of life horseshoe crabs molt many times over, growing a quarter of their size each time. Once sexual maturity is reached they slowdown their molting to once per year.
  10. Horseshoe crabs mature around 10 years of age (or 17 molts) and are known to live to be approximately 20 years of age.

For more information on horseshoe crabs and “99 reasons I am in Limulus Love” check out my horseshoe crab page here.

Filed Under: Arthropods, Atlantic Horseshoe Crab, Beach, Invertebrates, Marine Science

Horseshoe Crab Round Up: May 2013

May 31, 2013 by Leave a Comment

And, we’re concluding the first month of the horseshoe crab mating season for 2013. Over the past couple of weeks, many articles have come through the great worldwide web including some new creative introductions on the relationship of Limulus polyphemus and shorebirds, captivating expose on the capture of two horseshoe crab poachers, updates on the plight of the species after Hurricane Sandy, the discovery of a new bait that could reduce the horseshoe crab harvest, and even a information on raising awareness of the role horseshoe crabs since they play a role with QC endotoxin detection tests (but, read more to see that there may be a sustainable alternative). If you have anything other interesting reads for May please post a comment below.

Limulus polyphemus and Shorebirds (including efforts on tagging, etc)
Journey of shorebirds, horseshoe crabs to shore linked through the ages – May 1, 2013
Protecting ancient undersea creatures – May 9, 2013
Being ‘crabby’ might benefit mankind – May 10, 2013
Tagged Horseshoe Crabs at Big Egg Marsh Queens NY… – May 25, 2013
Shorebirds, Horseshoe Crabs and Stewards… – May 26, 2013
Volunteers help tag mating horseshoe crabs on Harbor Island – May 28, 2013

 

The Poaching Adventure
2 arrested for poaching horseshoe crabs from NY – May 28, 2013
It’s Dark, but We See You: Release the Horseshoe Crabs – May 28, 2013
NYPD Busts Horseshoe Crabs Poachers After Chopper Chase – May 29, 2013

After Hurricane Sandy Habitat Restoration
Restoring hurricane-damaged horseshoe crab spawning beaches on Delaware Bay – May 11, 2013
Workers race nature to rebuild Shore habitats before mating, migration season – May 20, 2013
After Sandy, a race against time to save an endangered shorebird – May 25, 2013

New Bait Alternative for Eel and Whelk
New bait may cut horseshoe crab bait use – May 30, 2013
New artificial bait could reduce number of horseshoe crabs used to catch eel, whelk – May 30, 2013

QC Endotoxin Detection Tests
Lonza Not ‘Shellfish’ When it Comes to Endotoxin QC Testing – May 21, 2013

Filed Under: Atlantic Horseshoe Crab

The world’s horseshoe crab research finally finds a home

January 16, 2013 by 1 Comment

This month the Ecological Research & Development Group (ERDG) released a one-stop-shop 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 Conservation of the Asian Horseshoe Crabs held in Hong Kong.

Be sure to check it out today. There’s lesson plans, peer-reviewed articles, posters, PowerPoint presentations, and more. It’s the intention of the database to serve as a tool to benefit everyone who is in Limulus Love!

I was surprised to learn that the new database includes over 2,000 citations and ERDG is still looking for more materials from people like you and me (Maybe, I’ll submit my cheesy infographic).

Horseshoe Crab Research Database http://horseshoecrab.org/research/

Horseshoe Crab Research Database created by the Ecological Research & Development Group

Filed Under: Atlantic Horseshoe Crab, Conservation, Environmental Education, Marine Science Tagged With: , , , ,

Do all horseshoe crabs molt?

November 20, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Once a horseshoe crab reaches their full size they stop molting. Their shells then come to host many sessile creatures, including slipper snails.

Once a horseshoe crab reaches their full size they stop molting. Their shells then come to host many sessile creatures, including slipper snails.

All horseshoe crabs molt – until they reach adulthood. They grow on average a quarter of their size each time they shed. Females grow to be about two feet across and males a bit smaller. Molting occurs several times during the first few years and slows as they age. It usually takes 17 molts to reach sexual maturity  at age 9-11.

Studies have proven that adults do not molt because the age of organisms living of the crab’s shell. For instance, scientists Bottom and Ropes (1988) completed a study to determine that large slipper snails (Crepidula fornicata) were at least 8 years old on a sample of specimens. This would then make the average age of horseshoe crabs in the Delaware Bay to be 17 years old.

Also, the deteriorated carapace of some horseshoe crabs, as well as the presence of internal chitinous rods that hold the carapace in place are also evidence that older horseshoe crabs do not molt.

Filed Under: Atlantic Horseshoe Crab, Environmental Education, Marine Science Tagged With: , , ,

What happens if the tide leaves a horseshoe crab stranded?

November 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment

HSC_BCS

It’s not often you stumble across this on the beach. I asked horseshoe crab expert Danielle Chesky, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, what was happening in this picture and she said that “they’re dug in for the day after spawning until the high tide comes and they can get back out to sea”. For more posts on horseshoe crabs check out the Limulus Love page. Thank you to a colleague’s in-laws for sending along this picture.

 

Filed Under: Animal Homes, Atlantic Horseshoe Crab, Beach, Wrack Line Tagged With: , , , ,

How to track a horseshoe crab

August 29, 2012 by 2 Comments

Today I am excited to bring a new video produced by Coastal Kingdom TV, a television series dedicated to sharing the unique and diverse habitats of the South Carolina lowcountry. Host Tony Mills demonstrates the best way to track horseshoe crabs in the tidal flats of South Carolina and does a superb job enlightening us on some of the animal’s unique characteristics.

Filed Under: Atlantic Horseshoe Crab, Beach Tagged With: , , ,