Atlantischer Pfeilschwanzkrebs (Limulus polyphemus) - Horseshoe crab

Die Pfeilschwanzkrebse (Limulidae) (auch Molukkenkrebse, Hufeisen-Krebs, Königskrabbe, Seemaulwurf) bilden die einzige rezente Familie innerhalb der Ordnung der Schwertschwänze (Xiphosura). Die Schwertschwänze werden der Klasse der Merostomata zugerechnet, die innerhalb der Kieferklauenträger den Spinnentieren als Schwestergruppe gegenübergestellt wird. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Horseshoe crabs are marine arthropods of the family Limulidae and order Xiphosura or Xiphosurida, that live primarily in and around shallow ocean waters on soft sandy or muddy bottoms. They occasionally come onto shore to mate. They are commonly used as bait and in fertilizer. In recent years, a decline in the population has occurred as a consequence of coastal habitat destruction in Japan and overharvesting along the east coast of North America. Tetrodotoxin may be present in the roe of species