- Where to see one
- 3 U.S. zoos in our directory hold horseshoe crab, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the horseshoe crab
The Atlantic horseshoe crab is a marine arthropod found along the Atlantic coast of North America and in the Gulf of Mexico, with Delaware Bay as a major migration area. Despite the name it is not a crustacean and is more closely related to spiders and scorpions. The smooth, horseshoe-shaped carapace is greenish grey to dark brown, and a spine-like tail called the telson helps it steer. Females are 25 to 30% larger than males and can reach 60 cm long including the tail. It lacks jaws and feeds on molluscs, annelid worms and bits of fish, grinding food with a sand-filled gizzard.
Horseshoe Crab facts
- Its blood contains hemocyanin and turns dark blue when exposed to oxygen, and Limulus amebocyte lysate from it is used to test pharmaceuticals.
- Eggs are an important food for shorebirds, while juveniles and adults are eaten by sea turtles.
- Many organisms attach to its shell, earning it the description walking museum.
- Limulus means askew, and polyphemus refers to a Greek giant, based on the mistaken idea that it had one eye.
Where to see horseshoe crab in the U.S.
3 zoos across 3 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 3 zoos holding horseshoe crab by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
District of Columbia· 1
Missouri· 1
South Dakota· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
