| Horseshoe crabs are an ancient arthropod that is classified more closely with spiders than with crustaceans or insects. They have blue blood that is copper based rather than iron based. Though they look a bit dangerous, they are quite harmless. Their telson (tail) is simple used to right themselves when they've been flipped over. They are an important part of the diet of migrating seabirds, as migrations coordinate with mating cycles. During the mating season, they come ashore en masse,and many diet during the process. The bodies litter beaches, and are often collected by visitors. I have an incomplete shell myself (it lost its telson before I collected it) that is about six inches across. They can grow to be much bigger. Image is from Wikimedia Commons under a creative commons license. |
