Ar-1070 HORSESHOE CRAB, Limulus polyphemus

They are one of the oldest living creatures on earth. Fossil records go back more than four hundred million years. They are also among the most hardy. Shipped in damp Spanish moss to keep their gills from becoming damaged, they can last for a week or longer out of water. They thrive on chopped fish, shrimp, and make good scavengers for any sized aquarium. The optic nerve of the horseshoe crab has been studied for the past fifty years, and recently, its blood has proven a valuable diagnostic tool in pharmacology. Large, 20-25 cm. carapace. Medium, 10-15 cm. carapace. Small, 2.5-8.0 carapace. Specimens may be selected for clear lateral eyes, for electrophysiological recording for an extra charge.