Size: They can grow up to 20 inches by molting their exoskeleton.

Range: They live from the Northern Atlantic Coast to the Gulf of Mexico.

Habitat: They live on coastal bottoms.

Diet: They eat mollusks, annelid worms, and other bottom-dwelling
invertebrates.

HORSESHOE CRAB
Limulus polyphemus

• They are called a “living fossil” and the “ancient mariner”
  because they have barely evolved over the last 350 to 400 million
  years!
  
  
• They can go an entire year without eating!
  
  
• They are not crabs! They are more closely related to spiders.
  
  
• Their tail is used to right themselves when they are on their backs!
  
  
• Their blood, which is blue in color, is used by pharmaceutical
  manufacturers to test for toxins in human medicines!