Life Sciences Commons^™

Conservation Status Of The American Horseshoe Crab, (Limulus Polyphemus): A Regional Assessment, David R. Smith, H. Jane Brockmann, Mark Beekey, Timothy L. King, Michael J. Millard, Jaime Zaldívar-Rae

Biology Faculty Publications

Horseshoe crabs have persisted for more than 200 million years, and fossil forms date to 450 million years ago. The American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus), one of four extant horseshoe crab species, is found along the Atlantic coastline of North America ranging from Alabama to Maine, USA with another distinct population on the coasts of Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo in the Yucatán Peninsula, México. Although the American horseshoe crab tolerates broad environmental conditions, exploitation and habitat loss threaten the species. We assessed the conservation status of the American horseshoe crab by comprehensively reviewing available scientific information on its range, …