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

The impressive exhibit features shells the size of small dogs, adult hand-sized sand dollars, giant horseshoe crab domiciles, column-like shells, leather corals, square sea stars and other curiosities among thousands.

From Seattle Times

The grand prize this year was won by Laurent Ballesta of France for his image of a horseshoe crab being followed by three small fish.

From NewsForKids.net

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

Conservationists have long pushed to limit the harvest of the animals, in part because horseshoe crab eggs are vitally important food for migratory birds.

From Seattle Times