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The unique blue blood of the horseshoe crab contains substances of great medical value. Photo: Getty Images
JAKARTA – American horseshoe crabs are often found on Florida beaches. They are considered “living fossils,” indicating that this species has survived without significant change for approximately 445 million years. Even before dinosaurs appeared. Following
Facts about horseshoe crabs:
1.An era with dinosaurs:
Horseshoe crabs have been around for at least 445 million years, making them a “living fossil” that existed long before dinosaurs appeared on earth.
2. Relatives of Spiders:
Although called “crabs,” horseshoe crabs are actually more closely related to spiders and other arachnids than to crabs or lobsters.
3. Restricted Species:
There are only four species of horseshoe crabs that still survive today. One of them, Limulus polyphemus, is found along the coast of North America, from Maine to Mexico.
4. Easy to adapt:
Their body structure is easily adaptable so it is very effective for survival.
5. Has a tail that looks like a spike:
Horseshoe crabs have a front shell (prosoma), a back shell (opisthosoma), and a spike-like tail called a telson. The tail is often misunderstood as a danger, even though it is actually used to help the crab turn over if it is knocked over by the waves.
6. Sensitive to light:
Even though they have a hard shell, horseshoe crabs are very sensitive to their surrounding environment, especially to light. They have ten eyes, including a pair of compound eyes in the prosoma and “photo receptors” in other parts of the body.
7. Become a soft meal for shorebirds:
Horseshoe crabs have an important role in coastal ecosystems. Their eggs are a major food source for migratory shorebirds, such as the endangered red knotbird.
8. Having blue blood has medical benefits:
The horseshoe crab's unique blue blood contains a substance called Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL), which is used in sterility testing of medical equipment and injectable drugs.
The American horseshoe crab is not only a biologically interesting creature, but also plays an important role in coastal ecosystems and the biomedical industry. Protection and further understanding of these species is essential to maintaining environmental balance and human well-being.
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