A 500-million-year-old clawed predator rewrites the origin of spiders and horseshoe crabs Harvard researchers reveal the earliest known Chelicerata in a new study published in Nature. The 500-million-year-old fossil, named Megachelicerax cousteaui, provides unequivocal evidence of chelicera, a feature never before seen in Cambrian arthropods. The discovery pushes back the origin of chelicerates by at least 20 million years and proves their distinctive body plan emerged during the Cambrian explosion.

1-Apr-2026
A 500-million-year-old clawed predator rewrites the origin of #spiders and #horseshoeCrabs

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1121624

#science #evolution #ecology #arachnids #arthropods

youtube.com/watch?v=yv73... @uriebay.bsky.social @beyerstein.bsky.social @tomlevenson.bsky.social @anniegirl.bsky.social @doloresquintana.bsky.social @merlinofcanada.bsky.social @maej43.bsky.social #HorseshoeCrabs are #Medical miracles , oh, & I love them.😍😘

UPDATE: New Changes Could Help Horseshoe Crabs Survive the Biomedical Industry

#HorseshoeCrabs are in trouble, but new changes could help them survive the threats they face from the biomedical industry.

bit.ly/4qMnOHM

UPDATE: New Changes Could Help Horseshoe Crabs Survive the Biomedical Industry

UPDATE: New Changes Could Help #HorseshoeCrabs Survive the Biomedical Industry

#StopAnimalCruelty

www.idausa.org/campaign/viv...

If you don't know what horseshoe crabs have done for humanity, I suggest you look it up and then know....we owe these life saving animals.
#HorseshoeCrabs #Sealife #Crabs #Ecology

#HorseshoeCrabs have been crawling ashore for more than 450 million years. But now they urgently need #EndangeredSpeciesAct protections.

So we just sued the Natl. Marine Fisheries Service for failing to make a preliminary decision on whether to protect these crabs under the #ESA.

bit.ly/4ppUvcA

A big win to start off the new year.

#HorseshoeCrabs #KeystoneSpecies #vulnerablespecies #LAL #ReturntheFavor

A lawsuit is filed to protect ancient horseshoe crabs The crabs' numbers have been depleted in recent years because of a loss of habitat and their value for testing new medicines.

Such fascinating creatures. 💫 Along with stranded sand dollars, I try to save as many as possible when "beaching."

"The crabs' numbers have been depleted in recent years because of a loss of habitat and their value for testing new medicines.'

#horseshoecrabs #Florida

My next batch of #Delaware ornaments. Favorites each year are the blue hen and our wonderful #horseshoecrabs. I paint Bessie, the crab that washed up in the dunes along with a few thousand others when Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey. Our bay took a surge & stranded so many. They are so iconic here.

An enzyme found in the blue blood of #HorseshoeCrabs has been key to testing #vaccines for decades, but Will Harlan, our Southeast Director, believes crab-free alternatives are the future.

Our work to save these ancient creatures was recently covered in Smithsonian Magazine ➡️ bit.ly/4qmHPFf

#photography #getaroom #horseshoecrabs #LieutenantsIsland #getaroom #Wednesday

#Happy Hump Day
May we all make it across the road safely!

It’s not spicy enough around here, so I’m posting these uncensored clips of a horseshoe crab nightime mating aggregation I was lucky enough to see a few years ago.

#horseshoecrabs #invertefest #Limulus

Regional biodiversity monitoring reveals severe population decline of the Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) in Long Island Sound, USA - Scientific Reports Scientific Reports - Regional biodiversity monitoring reveals severe population decline of the Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) in Long Island Sound, USA

We need to save these Horseshoe crabs. They are not only a historical creature that has been around since the dinosaurs, they're eggs are food the the red knot bird that is in real trouble also. Everyone has a purpose! #Horseshoecrabs #oceananimals
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

#memes #Invincible #HorseshoeCrabs #arthropods

The left hand of an adult poses with thumb extended to the left side of the shell of a horseshoe crab. The horseshoe crab shell is approximately the same size as the hand from the front to the end of the pointed tail.

Walking at the beach today and saw this little one’s shell. Amazing creatures even though the underside freaks me out when they are alive. #HorseshoeCrabs

Mazon Monday #283: Mazon Creek bromalites evidence a specialized, xiphosurid-rich diet for Pennsylvanian predators #fossils #paleontology #MazonMonday #MazonCreek #horseshoecrabs #pennsylvanian #bromalites #coprolites #regurgitalites

www.esconi.org/esconi_earth...

These crabs probably saved your life. Can we save theirs? For decades, the biomedical industry has relied on a compound in horseshoe crab blood to protect medical equipment from contamination, saving many human lives.

I sincerely hope the crabs can hang on until the current drop of liars, crooks, quacks and thieves exit the "white" house so we can push the synthetic solution via regulation and SAVE them. #horseshoecrabs #medicine #syntheticsolution #drugindustry #pharma

These crabs probably saved your life. Can we save theirs? For decades, the biomedical industry has relied on a compound in horseshoe crab blood to protect medical equipment from contamination, saving many human lives.

I sincerely hope the crabs can hang on until the current drop of liars, crooks, quacks and thieves exit the "white" house so we can push the synthetic solution via regulation and SAVE them. #horseshoecrabs #medicine #syntheticsolution #drugindustry #pharma

#memes #BeetleMoses #comics #HorseshoeCrabs #evolution #taxes

I got really sad about horseshoe crabs today and I didn’t do them justice here, but if there’s any horseshoe crabs reading this ily and I hope you get to keep all your blood
#drawing #coloredpencil #horseshoecrabs #art #sketch #weirdart

Horseshoe Crabs
SE Georgia, 4.27.25
#horseshoecrabs

Opening @laluzdejesus.bsky.social Everything But the Kitschen Sink 2025- my third time invited, happy to have these two paintings in this year’s show #losangelesartists #horseshoecrabs #geckos

@evanthorizon.bsky.social
#evanthorizon #horseshoecrabs

New from Ze Frank: “True Facts: Turtle Spiders Of The Sea” www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTBj... #HorseshoeCrabs

Two pairs of horseshoe crabs mating in the high evening tide at Cliffwood Beach in New Jersey. #cliffwoodbeachnj #monmouthcountynj #nj #horseshoecrabs #nature

Let’s go to the beach (and find some parasites)! Featuring “Dan the Horseshoe crab man” 🐌🦀

#MBLBoP2025 #HorseshoeCrabs

A group of horseshoe crabs partially submerged in shallow, foamy water along a rocky shoreline during spawning season. Their hard, domed shells glisten with moisture and are clustered closely together.

Caught this incredible moment on the north shore of Long Island a cluster of horseshoe crabs coming in with the tide to spawn.
They’ve been doing this for over 400 million years. Older than dinosaurs, still showing up like clockwork.
#HorseshoeCrabs #photography #BlueskyNature #AncientCreatures

Some recent events. New tank for my pet turtle, gardening, saving horseshoe crabs that are trapped between tight rocks, and sucking up duck weed from a pond for Scuttles' tank
#journaling #art #traditionalart #sketchbook #doodle #paintedturtle #nasturtium #selfportrait #horseshoecrabs #cuteart

#photography #horseshoecrabs #crabs #moon #fullmoon