These ancient, freaky-looking crabs are much more than they seem – and they might actually help keep you alive. đŠ This week on Coast Files, weâre diving into the bizarre world of horseshoe crabs, the 250-million-year-old âliving fossilsâ that are far stranger, and far more important, than their name suggests. From full-moon love fests and alien-looking anatomy to their incredible blood and its role in modern medicine, discover why this prehistoric creature is one of the oceanâs most unexpected heroes⊠and why we desperately need to protect it.
References:
Frank, J., & Tang, A. (2018, September 12). Why horseshoe crab blood is so expensive [Video]. Business Insider. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgQZWSlLBnA
bioMĂ©rieux Editors. (2024, December 19). Celebrating innovation with Professor Ding: A pioneer in sustainable endotoxin testing. bioMĂ©rieux. https://www.biomerieux.com/corp/en/education/resource-hub/pharma-quality-control/expert-interviews/celebrating-innovation-with-professor-ding.html
Hogge Moore, K. (2020, May 19). 11 facts about horseshoe crabs that will blow your mind. Ocean Conservancy. https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2020/05/19/11-facts-horseshoe-crabs-will-blow-mind/
Patel, R. (2022, June 3). 10 incredible horseshoe crab facts. Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/news/10-incredible-horseshoe-crab-facts
Milman, O. (2026, August 11). âLiving fossilâ: The blue-blood arthropod that has changed little in 445m years. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/aug/11/horseshoe-crab-invertebrate-of-the-year-2026
Etsy. (n.d.). Pancake horseshoe crab plushie, handmade [Product listing]. Etsy. https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1860407695/pancake-horseshoe-crab-plushie-handmade
