Horseshoe Crab information
Diet, habitat, lifespan, size and speed for the Horseshoe Crab, from the Animalsss field guide — with market prices, listings and guides as they arrive.
About Horseshoe Crab
Horseshoe crabs are arthropods of the family Limulidae and the only surviving xiphosurans. Despite their name, they are not crabs or even crustaceans; they are chelicerates, more closely related to arachnids like spiders, ticks, and scorpions. The body of a horseshoe crab is divided into three main parts: the cephalothorax, abdomen, and telson. The largest of these, the cephalothorax, houses most of the animal's eyes, limbs, and internal organs. It is also where the animal gets its name, as its shape somewhat resembles that of a horseshoe. Horseshoe crabs have been described as "living fossils", having changed little since they first appeared in the Triassic around 250 million years ago, and similar-looking fossil xiphosurans extend back to the Ordovician around 445 million years ago.
Horseshoe Crab facts & figures
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Brachyura
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Habitat
- Coasts, reefs & seabed
- A group is called
- Cast
Classification
- Kingdom Animalia
- Phylum Arthropoda
- Class Malacostraca
- Order Decapoda
- Family Brachyura
Source: GBIF
Specs
Typical adult range
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What is the scientific name of the Horseshoe Crab?
Brachyura. In the GBIF backbone taxonomy it sits in Class Malacostraca, Order Decapoda, Family Brachyura.
How long does a Horseshoe Crab live?
3 to 30 years, from the field-guide figures shown on this page.
What does a Horseshoe Crab eat?
Omnivore. Its usual habitat is coasts, reefs & seabed.