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FOSSIL HORSESHOE CRABS FOR SALE
What Are Horseshoe Crabs?
Horseshoe crabs are arthropods. They have large, horse hoof-shaped shells covering their internal organs and legs, with only a tail sticking out. They live in the marine and brackish waters of river mouths and shallow oceans.
When Did Horseshoe Crabs First Appear?
Horseshoe crabs evolved during the Ordovician Period. The oldest horseshoe crab fossil was found in Manitoba, Canada and was dated to about 445 million years old!
What Do Horseshoe Crabs Look Like?
Horseshoe crabs have been described as looking like round-nosed battle tanks, but at least one group of researchers thought one fossil found in Idaho looked like Darth Vader! They have shells that cover their entire bodies except for their tails, 2 small eyes on top of their shells with 6 others around the edges, and thin tails sticking out the back. Living Horseshoe crabs are grey, green and brown.
A modern day horseshoe crab.
Are Horseshoe Crabs True Crabs?
No. Horseshoe crabs are more closely related to spiders than to true crabs. Like spiders, horseshoe crabs do not have mandibles for grinding food, but instead have two appendages for moving food into the mouth. They also lack antennae.
Where Are Horseshoe Crab Fossils Found?
Horseshoe crab fossils have been found around the world, including Siberia, Lebanon, Spain, Morocco, Canada and the US. The oldest fossil horseshoe crab was found in Manitoba, Canada, and Vaderlimulus, the Darth Vader crab, was found in Idaho. The Jurassic-aged Solnhofen Limestone of Germany produces some of the most exquisite and well-known specimens, some of which have been found with "death trackways" leading up to the fossil.
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