horseshoe crab: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	king crab • Xiphosura

Photos

Horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) with a hard, rounded shell and long pointed tail lying on sandy ground.

See All Images →

Topics

Limulus Horseshoe Crab: A Key Player in Ecology, Medicine, and More American horseshoe crab Japanese horseshoe crab coastal horseshoe crab mangrove horseshoe crab Merostomata giant water scorpion

Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)

Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters

Animal Group Names

The bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) is seen in Switzerland on December 2024

Animal Factoids

Lion (panthera leo)

Deadliest Animals Quiz