# Where Do Atlantic Horseshoe Crabs Live?

> Where atlantic horseshoe crabs live: Shallow coastal waters and sandy beaches, native range cues, and human overlap. Status Vulnerable.

- **Species:** Atlantic Horseshoe Crab (*Limulus polyphemus*)
- **Conservation status:** Vulnerable
- **Diet:** Omnivore (worms, mollusks, algae, carrion)
- **Habitat:** Shallow coastal waters and sandy beaches
- **Lifespan:** Often 20+ years
- **Top speed:** Slow; crawls and plows through sand
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/horseshoe-crab/where-do-horseshoe-crab-live/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/horseshoe-crab/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) is an ancient marine arthropod, more closely related to spiders and scorpions than to true crabs. It has a domed horseshoe-shaped shell, a long spike-like tail, and reaches about 60 cm (24 in) including the tail. Found in shallow coastal waters and sandy beaches, it crawls along the bottom feeding on worms and molluscs, often living more than 20 years. It is listed as Vulnerable.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a sighting hotline. This page is native range and habitat.

## A living fossil

Horseshoe crabs belong to an ancient lineage whose body plan has changed remarkably little for hundreds of millions of years, earning them the nickname "living fossils". Despite the name, they are not true crabs but chelicerates, more closely related to spiders and scorpions. The Atlantic species, Limulus polyphemus, is one of only four horseshoe crab species alive today. Their long evolutionary history makes them a favourite subject for studies of animal design and survival.

## Help protect the Atlantic Horseshoe Crab

The atlantic horseshoe crab is listed as Vulnerable, with habitat loss the leading threat to its future.

[Donate to protect habitat](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/appeals/habitats/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/horseshoe-crab/where-do-horseshoe-crab-live/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.