Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus)

Currently fairly common along North Carolina's beaches, this species is in serious decline. There are four species of horseshoe crabs around the world with this one being the only species found in North America. Horseshoe Crabs are ancient creatures, evolving before the dinosaurs over 600 million years ago and are not related to the true crabs. True crabs are in the order Crustacea, while scientists place Horseshoe Crabs in the class Merostomata.

	Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus) Collier Co., FL 31 Dec 2007 Horseshoe Crabs have ten legs. The legs of a Horseshoe Crab are attached to its mouth and function like mammalian teeth in grinding food as it's passed to the mouth!
	Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus) Collier Co., FL 31 Dec 2007

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Created on ... Jan 6, 2008 | Update on ... Jan 6, 2008 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com