How Much You Know About Horseshoe Crab? Trivia Quiz

Horseshoe crabs belong to the phylum, Arthropoda. Their closest relatives are spiders and scorpions.

The horseshoe crab has no nose, but the tiny hairs on the spiny projections around its mouth are chemoreceptors, allowing the crab to smell prey.

Horseshoe crabs have been used for various purposes including the production of skin creams and hair sprays, as fertilizer, and as feed for chickens and hogs. Therefore, the correct answer is "All of the Above".

Horseshoe crab blood is useful for detecting deadly toxins in medical products because it contains a substance called Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL), which clots in the presence of bacterial endotoxins. This makes it an effective tool for ensuring the safety of vaccines, intravenous drugs, and medical devices. Additionally, horseshoe crab blood is used for testing fungal infections as it can identify the presence of fungal pathogens. Furthermore, research has shown that horseshoe crab blood exhibits anti-viral and anti-cancer activity, making it a potential source for developing new treatments. Therefore, the correct answer is "All of the Above."

Horseshoe crabs are believed to be one of the oldest living species on Earth, with fossil records dating back around 450 million years. This makes them significantly older than dinosaurs. Their evolutionary history can be traced back to the Late Ordovician period, and they have remained relatively unchanged since then. The longevity of horseshoe crabs can be attributed to their unique adaptations and resilience, allowing them to survive and thrive for millions of years.

There are only four species of horseshoe crabs in existence in the world today. These are Limulus polyphemus, Tachypleus gigas, Tachypleus tridentatus, and Carcinoscorpius rotundi-cauda. Only one of these species is found in North America.

A study in 2003 revealed a horseshoe crab population of a half-million adults and 13.5 million juveniles in Pleasant Bay.

All of the above options are used for medical research in horseshoe crabs. The blood of horseshoe crabs contains a substance called Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL), which is used to test for bacterial contamination in medical equipment and vaccines. The eyes of horseshoe crabs are used to study vision and neurobiology. The chitin or shell of horseshoe crabs is used to develop wound dressings and other medical products. Therefore, all these parts are valuable for medical research purposes.

Horseshoe crabs have seven pairs of legs under their helmet-like shells; five of these seven pairs of legs are equipped with claws.

Pleasant Bay is second in the state only to Monomoy in Chatham in its crab population.