How have horseshoe crabs been able to remain unchanged for centuries?

In case you have not had the opportunity to get your hands on the new book, Horseshoe Crabs and Velvet Worms, about animals that have remained unchanged through time (Richard Fortey) here is a video from the BBC  on how the horseshoe crab has been able to survive through the ages.

I am particularly fond of this clip because the horseshoe crab expert notes that the horseshoe crab, while an opportunistic and a generalist, is not an aggressive animal.

Please feel free to comment if you’re one of the few that has eaten horseshoe crab eggs.