horseshoe crab

American  

noun

1. a large marine arthropod, Limulus polyphemus, of shallow coastal waters of eastern North America and eastern Asia, having both compound and simple eyes, book gills, a stiff tail, and a brown carapace curved like a horseshoe: a living fossil related to the woodlouse.

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horseshoe crab British  

noun

1. Also called: king crab.  any marine chelicerate arthropod of the genus Limulus, of North America and Asia, having a rounded heavily armoured body with a long pointed tail: class Merostomata

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Etymology

Origin of horseshoe crab

First recorded in 1765–75

Example Sentences

In 1859 Charles Darwin coined the term “living fossil” to describe lineages that have looked the same for tens of millions of years, such as the coelacanth, sturgeon, and horseshoe crab.

From Science Magazine • Mar. 8, 2024

The fish follow along, hoping to eat anything the horseshoe crab misses.

From NewsForKids.net • Oct. 12, 2023

The tri-spine horseshoe crab has survived for more than 100 million years but now faces habitat destruction and overfishing for food and for its blood, used in the development of vaccines.

From BBC • Oct. 10, 2023

Fish and Wildlife Service issued a ruling on Monday that calls for the end of horseshoe crab harvesting in Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge in South Carolina from March 15 to July 15.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 10, 2023

Ronan watches wide-eyed as the horseshoe crab waves everything wildly.

From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt