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The horseshoe crabs are currently spending a lot of time buried in the sand. They can come to the top to molt. There are two horseshoe crabs that are twins, physically connected at the top of their prosoma (the head). These two no longer remain on top of the sand. Others lying on the top of the sand are probably preparing for their first molt. We currently have two Instar 2 horseshoe crabs that were named by the students as Alex and Noah.
About Horseshoe Crabs
Despite their name, Horseshoe crabs are not crabs or crustaceans. They are arthropods that belong to their own family, Limulidae, and are closely related to spiders and other arachnids.
The oldest fossil records show that horseshoe crabs have existed for at least 445 million years. Limulus polyphemus is one of four living horseshoe crab species — the other three are found in Asia. This species has remained nearly unchanged since before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, so they’re often referred to as “living fossils.”
Before horseshoe crabs reach maturity at 9-10 years old, they molt their shells up to sixteen or seventeen times! You can tell if a shell has molted if there is a slit running along the front, which indicates the horseshoe crab has exited.
Here is a short video of this year's horseshoe crab eggs from iOcean in Keelung, NMMST
Here is a short video of this year's horseshoe crab eggs from iOcean in Keelung, NMMST
Instar 1-the connected twins.
Instar 1-the connected twins.
Their survival is unlikely. 🥺
Their survival is unlikely. 🥺
Instar 2-Alex
Instar 2-Alex
Alex was the first to make it to Instar 2 this year. 😃
Francine -Instar 3, along with other instar 2 horsecrabs
Francine -Instar 3, along with other instar 2 horsecrabs
Francine was the first to reach the instar 2 level last year. This horseshoe crab was released to the ocean in Tainan as an instar 3 in April, last Spring of 2025. 😃
Check out the student-made
Check out the student-made
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