{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "horseshoe-crab",
  "name": "Atlantic Horseshoe Crab",
  "scientificName": "Limulus polyphemus",
  "category": "Invertebrate",
  "summary": "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.",
  "conservationStatus": "Vulnerable",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Arthropoda",
    "class": "Merostomata",
    "order": "Xiphosura",
    "family": "Limulidae",
    "genus": "Limulus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 2,
    "lengthM": 0.6,
    "topSpeedKmh": 1,
    "lifespanYears": 20
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Limulus polyphemus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Omnivore (worms, mollusks, algae, carrion)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Shallow coastal waters and sandy beaches"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Often 20+ years"
    },
    {
      "label": "Size",
      "value": "Up to about 60 cm (24 in) including tail"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Slow; crawls and plows through sand"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Vulnerable (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Shallow coastal waters and beaches of the western Atlantic, along the eastern United States and the Gulf of Mexico.",
    "continents": [
      "Oceans",
      "North America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Limulus polyphemus.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Limulus%20polyphemus&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Limulus polyphemus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Limulus_polyphemus/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Atlantic Horseshoe Crab.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_horseshoe_crab"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/horseshoe-crab/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/horseshoe-crab/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}