Horseshoe crabs - Learning With Limulus - Sandy Hook, NJ - Taiwan, China, Thailand - Limulus polyphemus - Food, medicine, medical research - Dave Grant, Brookdale College Ocean Institute, Sandy Hook, NJ 07732.htm

International Symposium
Science and Conservation of Horseshoe Crabs
Dowling College, NY - 2007
Dave Grant - Ocean Institute, Sandy Hook
Learning With Limulus
Click here to download a 10 second videoclip of a live deformed larva
Click here for more videos of eggs and larvae

	One of many historic buildings at Dowling College,.

Colleagues from Hong Kong share information and receive Ocean Institute articles . One of the most interesting revelations at the conference was the reported lack of Epibionts on Asian crabs compared to the American Horseshoe Crab. .	Researchers from India and other Asian countries pick up their information on Sandy Hook's (American) horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus.

Most interest in the United States has been about the harvest of (Highly sensitive) LAL (Limulus Amebocyte Lysate) from horseshoe crab blood; which is used to detect the presence of pathogenic bacteria and its endotoxin.	Micrograph of surface of Limulus Amebocyte

Horseshoe crabs are also used for artwork, bait, food and traditional medicine. (And teaching Marine Biology!)
A fresco from the Mayan Templo de los Guerreros in Chichen Itza	<<<<< <<<<<


Mayan woman extracting eggs.	American Horseshoe Crabs are found as far south as Yucatan in Mexico. Their eggs were used as food. Local names include: Mex (Spider) Soldidatos (Little Soldier) Soldado Bayoneta (Harpoon soldier) Pez flecha (Arrow fish) Cucaracha de mar (Cockroach of the sea) Cangrejo cola de flecha (Arrow tail crab) Cangrejo espada (Sword crab) Cacerolita de mar (Little scorpion of the sea)


Three species of Horseshoe Crab are found in Asia. Tachypleus tridentatus *Tachypleus gigas* *Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda* They are harvested for food and traditional medicine to treat Asthma, skin problems and joint pain (arthritis)	Local names include: (Malaysia) King crab Belangkas Kuncung Koncas Keroncong (Thailand) Mengda thalle


Horseshoe crab eggs are a high protein food!	Captured crabs - "Packaged" and ready to be shipped to market in Thailand.


Horseshoe crab eggs are served on the shell in Asia.	Horseshoe crab eggs. Street snacks at an Asian market.


Paintings using the shells of horseshoe crabs... Symbols to protect houses from evil spirits in Thailand. Local legend in Cape May (NJ) says that the unique clasper claw of the male horseshoe crab was called a "Lucky Bone" by sailors and worn for good luck.	Top Ten discoveries using Horseshoe Crabs (Dr. Robert Barlow) 1. Lateral Inhibition (Vision) 2. Circadian rhythms 3. Neural coding behavioral responses 4. Single photon responses 5. Photoreceptor potential 6. Neural coding of light intensity 7. Spectral sensitivity (Color vision) 8. Flicker fusion 9. Light adaptation 10. Dark adaptation


Carving of Asian Horseshoe crab	Horseshoe crab carving on Langshan Temple in Taipei


Window carvings at Kinmen.	Japanese stamp with crabs.


Dr. Shuster proudly shows off his staff shirt from the Ocean Institute at Sandy Hook.	Horseshoe crab programs like Learning With Limulus are offered at Sandy Hook.
Take the horseshoe crab quiz! For more on Horseshoe crabs, visit: The Limulist Sandy Hook Horseshoe Crabs Sandy Hook's Linnean List Ocean Institute Projects, Workshops and Conferences