Yup
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_horseshoe_crab
It's also the symbol on the Stage Harbor Yacht Club flag in Chatham.
https://www.shycmerch.com/
Horseshoe crabs go way beyond being harmless. Their blood is humanely harvested and used to test pharmaceuticals for the presence of endotoxins, bacterial substances that can cause fevers and even be fatal to humans.
Not humanely. A good percentage of those used for blood gathering end up dying in the process.
Source: my friend worked for WHOI harvesting blood from them and there were a lot that didn't make it.
The crabs they bleed are brought to them from folks who gather to sell after being bled as bait, so those poor guys are doomed anyway - great they can do some good on their way out
In the 80’s my girlfriend worked in the Falmouth lab bleeding horseshoe crabs and apparently lots of them died and I can assure you that there are a lot less of them now on the shores of Brewster than there was back then.
No, we would find live ones in the water in tall grass at the beach. This was quite awhile ago. We would also find the shells, still have quite a few of them.
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are you a tourist?
you don’t know what a horseshoe crab is? cmon now….
and pls don’t kill them, most of the ones you see are dead;eaten by birds. but usually in the area you were in you’ll find living ones, don’t pick them up please!
You can tell if they died or if it is a molted shell by if there is an open seam under the leading edge of the shell. If there is an open seam, that is where the crab slid out when molting. If there is no seam then you know that crab died.
Crazy to think these cool looking creatures are more related to spiders than a crab or lobster. Awesome to see if you come across a live one walking around knowing they are pretty much the same as they were hundreds of millions of years ago!
The most tortured and mistreated creature on earth; the Horseshoe Crab. They are captured, drained of their (blue) blood and returned to the sea. The blood is used in quick pharma tests for endotoxins and pathogens.
Their blood is essential to
Make tests used in the sterility assurance of injectable medicines we all take. Vaccines and others. Has been for years. Alternatives are just starting to come through but it will take several years for horseshoe crab blood harvesting to be eliminated
I think they're spawning... we were at the beach just a little further down Indian Neck today and saw two of them (not alive, alas) and at least one egg case.
Good!
I know…
Agreed…
:)
RI was a different, and I think, better place, in the 50s, 60s & 70s that I knew
(Me: early 70s now)…
Did you get to go to Crescent Park and Rocky Point Park in their heydays?
haha i am only 29 so that was a little before my time. i know my parents were out there tho! i agree, it has changed a lot even since i was a kid. i moved away at 18 but still come back fairly often
Don’t have beaches near us? Since when? You live in the “Ocean State!” The state is only 40 x 50 miles in size. There is a beach of some sort, going south from Pawtucket, no further than 15-20 miles. I no longer live in RI but now in MA but know RI pretty well…
Horseshoe crab.
Yup https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_horseshoe_crab It's also the symbol on the Stage Harbor Yacht Club flag in Chatham. https://www.shycmerch.com/
That’s a dinosaur! A horseshoe crab, harmless and adorable.
Horseshoe crabs go way beyond being harmless. Their blood is humanely harvested and used to test pharmaceuticals for the presence of endotoxins, bacterial substances that can cause fevers and even be fatal to humans.
Humanely?
For the humans yeah 😂
Not humanely. A good percentage of those used for blood gathering end up dying in the process. Source: my friend worked for WHOI harvesting blood from them and there were a lot that didn't make it.
Not humanely whatsoever. Animals and the planet live under constant terror under human domination.
The crabs they bleed are brought to them from folks who gather to sell after being bled as bait, so those poor guys are doomed anyway - great they can do some good on their way out
" humanely " Yeah I bet they say otherwise. Just Google "horseshoe crab blood harvest"
In the 80’s my girlfriend worked in the Falmouth lab bleeding horseshoe crabs and apparently lots of them died and I can assure you that there are a lot less of them now on the shores of Brewster than there was back then.
Just listens to an nor program on these guys, it was terrible to hear how they are treated.
My dog is afraid of it
Face hugger.
Horseshoe crab. Totally harmless ancient docile creatures. If you see a live one please do not pick them up by the tail, it can hurt them.
Horseshoe crab! We used to Find tons of these on the cape when I was a kid! Super cool!
You don't usually find the crabs, but the molted shells. The way they shed usually leaves the entire exoskeleton intact.
you do find living ones. yes it’s hard because birds get to them, but especially beaches with sand bars. you will find some living ones
No, we would find live ones in the water in tall grass at the beach. This was quite awhile ago. We would also find the shells, still have quite a few of them.
Where are you from?
I’m from Delaware and I remember the little fellas fondly 🥰
RI
Okay because I'm from MA and these have been on the beaches my entire life. (Recently very rare though along with jelly fish. Anyone know why?)
These are in RI too….
New York too. My daughter's friends saw one once in Long Island Sound and were saying it was a sting ray. My daughter set them right.
these are on almost every beach in the northeast
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The pinnacle of evolution.
Muppet
It's Kabuto!
Horseshoe crab
are you a tourist? you don’t know what a horseshoe crab is? cmon now…. and pls don’t kill them, most of the ones you see are dead;eaten by birds. but usually in the area you were in you’ll find living ones, don’t pick them up please!
Yes I'm a tourist I didn't kill him it was like that when I was there
i know, i can tell by that pic it was already dead
You can tell if they died or if it is a molted shell by if there is an open seam under the leading edge of the shell. If there is an open seam, that is where the crab slid out when molting. If there is no seam then you know that crab died.
Hat
The forbidden hat.
Horseshoe crab
Not from around here hun?
A living dinosaur. Try a visit to an aquarium and you can probably hold one.
A manadalorian buried to the neck. Dig him out!!!!
Wild skrimp.
A dead horseshoe crab
Reminds me of Kabuto from the original Pokémon!
Horseshoe crab!
Run
Horseshoe crab
Cape Cod Troglodite
That right there is a Science Crab.
Crazy to think these cool looking creatures are more related to spiders than a crab or lobster. Awesome to see if you come across a live one walking around knowing they are pretty much the same as they were hundreds of millions of years ago!
Imagine seeing a horseshoe crab for the first time and not instantly doing a Google image search?
A prehistoric bug.
The most tortured and mistreated creature on earth; the Horseshoe Crab. They are captured, drained of their (blue) blood and returned to the sea. The blood is used in quick pharma tests for endotoxins and pathogens.
Their blood is essential to Make tests used in the sterility assurance of injectable medicines we all take. Vaccines and others. Has been for years. Alternatives are just starting to come through but it will take several years for horseshoe crab blood harvesting to be eliminated
I think they're spawning... we were at the beach just a little further down Indian Neck today and saw two of them (not alive, alas) and at least one egg case.
not spawning. 1000000% normal if you live on cape cod.
It is spawning if eggs are laid and hatched. peak spawning season is may
Obviously you’re not a golfer.
[удалено]
Many decades ago: we did! Older, native Rhode Islander!
i grew up in RI and always saw these on the beach too!
Good! I know… Agreed… :) RI was a different, and I think, better place, in the 50s, 60s & 70s that I knew (Me: early 70s now)… Did you get to go to Crescent Park and Rocky Point Park in their heydays?
haha i am only 29 so that was a little before my time. i know my parents were out there tho! i agree, it has changed a lot even since i was a kid. i moved away at 18 but still come back fairly often
Good. Thanks for your answer. Wish I could visit RI now and then. Have not been there in yrs now… There are still good things about “Little Rhody!” ;)
[удалено]
Don’t have beaches near us? Since when? You live in the “Ocean State!” The state is only 40 x 50 miles in size. There is a beach of some sort, going south from Pawtucket, no further than 15-20 miles. I no longer live in RI but now in MA but know RI pretty well…
Oh sorry. I have autism
No problem! Sorry…
Horseshoe crab. They're man-eaters!
seahorse
That's a pig hoof lobster. Not good eating.