Description
The Mangrove horse shoecrab (Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda), also known as the round-tailed horseshoe crab is a chelicerate arthropod found in tropical marine and brackish waters in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China and Hong Kong.Despite their name, horseshoe crabs are more closely related to spiders and scorpions (all are in the subphylum Chelicerata) than to crabs. The mangrove horseshoe crab is the only species in the genus Carcinoscorpius.
Horseshoe or belangkas ,which can be found on our coastal waters and estuaries,are prehistoric sea creatures that have been around for millions of years,predating even the dinosaurs.
It has not evolved over millions of years ,making the creatures “living fossil”Although,it is called a crab,it is more closely related to spiders and scorpions.Horseshoe crabs has 10 eyes-two compound eyes on the prosoma and 8 others,known as “ photo receptors”,primary along the tail.The eyes are used to find mates during spawning season.Horsehoe crabs feed on worms,clams and algae.
The horseshoe crab’s blood is vital to the biomedical industry.The copper-based and metalic blue blood contains a unique amino acid Known as limulus amebocyte lysate(LAL) which is used in medicine to ensure that anything that gets injected or implanted into the human body is free of potential bacteria contamination.The blood costs nearby Rm60,000.00 per litre.
