Atlantic Horseshoe Crab
Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Merostomata
Order: Xiphosura
Family: Limulidae
Genus :Limulus
Species: L. polyphemus
Common name: Atlantic Horseshoe Crab
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Merostomata
Order: Xiphosura
Family: Limulidae
Genus :Limulus
Species: L. polyphemus
Common name: Atlantic Horseshoe Crab
MorphologySymmetry- Bilateral
Structure- Shell Appearance- Rough oval shape with a tail BiologyHorseshoe crabs burrow in the sand to lay their eggs so they're more protected.
The book gills are multitasking organs. When a horseshoe crab goes swimming, the book gills actually propel it through the water. This is where the breathing takes place under water. Oxygen is allowed to pass through but the book gills keeps the water out. |
Importance
Horseshoe crabs are ecologically important because they are a major food source for many species of birds and fish.
Horseshoe crabs are extremely important to the biomedical industry because their unique, copper-based blue blood contains a substance called Limulus amebocyte lysate. The substance, which coagulates in the presence of small amounts of bacterial toxins, is used to test for sterility of medical equipment and virtually all intravenous drugs. Research on the compound eyes of horseshoe crabs has led to a better understanding of human vision.
Horseshoe crabs are extremely important to the biomedical industry because their unique, copper-based blue blood contains a substance called Limulus amebocyte lysate. The substance, which coagulates in the presence of small amounts of bacterial toxins, is used to test for sterility of medical equipment and virtually all intravenous drugs. Research on the compound eyes of horseshoe crabs has led to a better understanding of human vision.
Facts
- Ancestors of the horseshoe crab date back over 450 million years ago.
- When mating, male horseshoe crabs move parallel to the shoreline on sandy flats and intercept females as they pass by.
- Horseshoe crabs are harmless, despite their sharp tails.
- Their tails are primarily used to flip themselves if they get turned over
- The young and adult horseshoe crabs spend most of their time on the sandy bottoms of intertidal flats or zones above the low tide mark and feed on various invertebrates.
- When mating, male horseshoe crabs move parallel to the shoreline on sandy flats and intercept females as they pass by.
- Horseshoe crabs are harmless, despite their sharp tails.
- Their tails are primarily used to flip themselves if they get turned over
- The young and adult horseshoe crabs spend most of their time on the sandy bottoms of intertidal flats or zones above the low tide mark and feed on various invertebrates.
Vocabulary
Apron
Folded-under abdomen of a crab
Carpus
"Forearm" portion of a crab claw
Berry crab
Female crab carrying eggs
Exoskeleton
External skeleton; the shell of a crustacean
Manus
"Hand" portion of a crab claw
Folded-under abdomen of a crab
Carpus
"Forearm" portion of a crab claw
Berry crab
Female crab carrying eggs
Exoskeleton
External skeleton; the shell of a crustacean
Manus
"Hand" portion of a crab claw
Resources
- What was that Darwin? Are you talking about me?
http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/2011/volz_mack/adaptation.htm
- Facts about horseshoe crabs
http://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/crustaceans/horseshoe-crabs/facts/
-Wikipedia: Atlantic Horseshoe Crab
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_horseshoe_cra
http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/2011/volz_mack/adaptation.htm
- Facts about horseshoe crabs
http://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/crustaceans/horseshoe-crabs/facts/
-Wikipedia: Atlantic Horseshoe Crab
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_horseshoe_cra
Sunflower Sea Star
Classification
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Forcipulatida
Family: Asteriidae
Genus: Pycnopodia
Species: P. helianthoides
Common name: Sunflower Sea Star
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Forcipulatida
Family: Asteriidae
Genus: Pycnopodia
Species: P. helianthoides
Common name: Sunflower Sea Star
Morphology
Symmetry: radial
Structure: tube feet
Appearance: 16-24 arms
Structure: tube feet
Appearance: 16-24 arms
Biology
They can shed their arms to escape predators.
They are able to basically puke out their stomach to digest large prey.
They are able to basically puke out their stomach to digest large prey.
Importance
Sunflower sea stars are ecologically important because they are prey for king crabs.
Sunflower sea stars are economically important because people buy them for souvenirs.
Sunflower sea stars are economically important because people buy them for souvenirs.
Facts
-Sunflower sea stars can reproduce both sexually and asexually.
-Urchins are their favorite food.
-King crabs like to eat sunflower sea stars.
-They only breed May-June.
-Their stomach can come out of their mouth in order to eat larger prey.
-Urchins are their favorite food.
-King crabs like to eat sunflower sea stars.
-They only breed May-June.
-Their stomach can come out of their mouth in order to eat larger prey.
Vocabulary
- tube foot-(in an echinoderm) each of a large number of small, flexible, hollow appendages protruding through the ambulacra, used either for locomotion or for collecting food and operated by hydraulic pressure within the water-vascular system.
- water vascular system-in an echinoderm) a network of water vessels in the body, the tube feet being operated by hydraulic pressure within the vessels.
- aboral - The functional upper surface toward or on the opposite end from the mouth.
- ampulla - The bulb atop each tube foot.
- fissiparity - reproduction of some multicellular organisms by division, as in the case of some starfish.
- water vascular system-in an echinoderm) a network of water vessels in the body, the tube feet being operated by hydraulic pressure within the vessels.
- aboral - The functional upper surface toward or on the opposite end from the mouth.
- ampulla - The bulb atop each tube foot.
- fissiparity - reproduction of some multicellular organisms by division, as in the case of some starfish.
Resources
-Wikipedia: Sunflower sea stars
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunflower_seastar
-ADW: pycnopodia helianthoides
http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pycnopodia_helianthoides/
-Sunflower sea star information
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/speciesid/fish_page/fish6a.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunflower_seastar
-ADW: pycnopodia helianthoides
http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pycnopodia_helianthoides/
-Sunflower sea star information
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/speciesid/fish_page/fish6a.html