11/13/2026
Our fauna ambassador for week 5 is none other than……the ancient Horseshoe Crab!
Horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) are invertebrates found along all coastlines in Florida. These ancient creatures are sometimes called “living fossils” because they predate dinosaurs - they have been around for more than 445 million years!
Despite their common name, they are not true crabs and are actually more closely related to spiders and scorpions. They have a hard exoskeleton, 10 legs, and a pair of appendages called “chelicera” that they use to eat worms, algae, bugs, and other small prey. As horseshoe crabs grow, they push forward through their shell and leave the molt behind, which you can find along the beach.
The long spiny tail might remind you of a stingray barb, but it is not dangerous. Horseshoe crabs are easily flipped onto their backs as they crawl along the shoreline and waves. They use their tail, called the “telson” to flip right-side up.
One of Tampa Bay’s aquatic preserves was even named after horseshoe crabs! As the story goes, Spanish explorers observed the critters swarming in the shallows near what is now Ruskin and thought they were cockroaches. Years later in 1976, the aquatic preserve was created and given the name Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve.
Head to our website for more fun facts and to foster this living fossil! ✨
tbapfriends.org/faunafoster
