Context (TH): Environmental groups have recently petitioned the U.S. government to grant endangered species protection for the American horseshoe crab.
Horseshoe crabs are marine chelicerate arthropods found in shallow coastal waters on soft, sandy, or muddy bottoms.
They belong to the Subphylum Chelicerata, which includes animals like spiders, scorpions, harvestmen, mites, and ticks.
Horseshoe crabs are marine arthropods, not true crabs, but are chelicerates, closely related to arachnids like spiders, ticks, and scorpions.
Their segmented body, segmented limbs, and thick chitinous cuticle (exoskeleton) are typical features of arthropods.
They predominantly spawn (release eggs) on intertidal beaches during summer-spring high tides.
Horseshoe crabs are often regarded as “living fossils” due to their ancient lineage.