Atlantic Horseshoe Crab
Limulus polyphemus
Animalia
VULNERABLE
Stats
- Lifespan
- 10-20 yrs
- Size
- Huge
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Activity
- Nocturnal
- Social
- Solitary
- Biome
- Coastal marine
- Range
- North America
- Movement
- Walking
- Breeding
- Egg-laying
- Defense
- Armor
- Status
- Vulnerable
About
The Atlantic horseshoe crab is a living fossil that has remained virtually unchanged for over 445 million years — older than the dinosaurs. Its milky-blue blood clots instantly on contact with bacterial toxins and is harvested to safety-test vaccines and medical devices worldwide.
Life cycle
- 1.juvenileA clearly-young animal, past the newborn phase but well short of full adult size.
- 2.adultFully grown.
Learn more
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Merostomata
- Order
- Xiphosurida
- Family
- Limulidae
- Genus
- Limulus
- Species
- Limulus polyphemus