Horseshoe Crabs

[Polyphemus]

Hi. I'm very new to the science forum. This is in fact my first post. I have a complete and utter obsession with horseshoe crabs, and know some things about them. I know where they fit taxonomically (though I am foggy on their exact evolutionary origins), I know about their blue haemocayanin based blood, etc. What I can't find are the species names. limulus Polyphemus is the American horseshoe crab, but what are the names of the other three? What do they look like? I scacely could find information about them online. It seems few peopel care about them aside from their place as a novelty. Evolution wise, aren't they the equivalent of all dinosaurs (besides birds) except triceratops dying out? If we still had triceratops, peopel would say "It's a window into the past. A living fossil!" and everyone would love them. With horseshoes, they pretty much say the same thing, but NO ONE CARES. Am I the only one fascinated by the most terrifying aspect of the horseshoe crab- that it exists? Anyway, anybody know anything about horseshoes? Talk with me. I must learn those other three species names.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseshoe_crab suggests that there's a Tachypleus tridentatus.

 

Hope you enjoy SFN.

[ecoli]

Horseshoe crabs are amazing animals, especially in terms of evolution as they are one of the few extant species that evolved a long time ago. IF my knowledge of evolutionary biology serves me correctly.

[carol]

hey! I'm new too. Carcinoscorpio is another genus. and the blood of horseshoe crabs is studied for its medical uses.

[Polyphemus]

Yes... Limulus (Something) (something) or LAL... the material made from their blood. It's FASCINATING! Their "immune system" is immensely crude. Their blood simply clots when it detectss bacteria. They put some limulus blood in medical equipment, and if the blood clots the equipment is dirty and infected.