HORSESHOE CRAB SHELL……..

Somebody ate his body, I found this down by the bay during the summer. Hundreds of these horseshoe crabs make their way up on the shore to mate in June. Horseshoe Crabs are Arthopods and are related to Spiders and Scorpions. They are not Crustaceans like most people think. They have blood but it contains copper which makes it blue instead of red. They have also been on this planet for over 250 millions years and have not changed much in that time. They aren’t dangerous and they don’t sting with their tails. They use their tails as a rudder when swimming and to turn themselves up right if they are flipped over. I always loved them and their lifecycle : )

View in full size and please check out my previous photo : )