American Horseshoe Crab

Limulus polyphemus (Linnaeus 1758)

James Dowling-Healey cc-by-nc-sa-3.0

Limulus polyphemus (American Horseshoe Crab) is a species of Xiphosurida in the family horseshoe crabs. They are listed as vulnerable by IUCN. They are native to The Nearctic, Atlantic Ocean, and The Neotropics. Individuals can grow to 60 cm.

URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/vulnerable
Definition: A taxon is Vulnerable when the best available evidence indicates that it meets any of the criteria A to E for Vulnerable, and it is therefore considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Source: http://apiv3.iucnredlist.org/api/v3/taxonredirect/11987

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URI: https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q737742
Definition: one of the eight terrestrial ecozones constituting the Earth's land surface
Attribution: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ecozone_Nearctic.svg

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URI: http://www.marineregions.org/mrgid/1902

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URI: https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q217151
Definition: one of the eight terrestrial ecozones constituting the Earth's land surface
Attribution: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ecozone_Neotropic.svg

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EOL has data for 36 attributes, including:

Body symmetry
- URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/body_symmetry
- Definition: overall repetitive or reflective pattern in the body of one individual of this taxon. eg: bilateral symmetry, rotational symmetry, radial symmetry
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bilaterally symmetric
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/PATO_0001324
- Definition: being symmetric about a plane running from frontal end to caudal end (head to tail), and having nearly identical right and left halves
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body length
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/CMO_0000013
- Definition: A measurement of the longest dimension of a body, typically between two distinct ends of the body.
- Attribution: [database_cross_reference: Dorland:Dorlands_Illustrated_Medical_Dictionary--31st_Ed] [database_cross_reference: ISBN:978-1416049982]
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25.7 cm
cellularity
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/PATO_0001992
- Definition: An organismal quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearers consisting cells. [ PATOC:GVG ]
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multicellular
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/PATO_0001993
- Definition: A cellularity quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearers consisting of more than one cell. [ PATOC:GVG ]
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egg diameter
- URI: http://polytraits.lifewatchgreece.eu/terms/EGG
- Definition: Diameter of the eggs spawned by an organism.
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1700 µm
geographic distribution includes
- URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/Present
- Definition: This organism is known to be present in this location or region. Not exclusive; other regions may also be reported.
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Germany
- URI: http://www.geonames.org/2921044
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habitat
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/RO_0002303
- Definition: x has habitat y if: x is an organism, y is a habitat, and y can sustain and allow the growth of a population of x
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coastal
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/ENVO_01000687
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native range includes
- URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/NativeRange
- Definition: Lists jurisdictions in which a given organism is a member of the undisturbed fauna or flora.
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The Nearctic
- URI: https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q737742
- Definition: one of the eight terrestrial ecozones constituting the Earth's land surface
- Attribution: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ecozone_Nearctic.svg
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population trend
- URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/population_trend
- Definition: i.e., increasing, decreasing, stable, or unknown
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Decreasing
preys on
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/RO_0002439
- Definition: An interaction relationship involving a predation process, where the subject kills the target in order to eat it or to feed to siblings, offspring or group members
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Mulinia lateralis (Say 1822) (dwarf surfclam)
skeleton structure
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/OBA_0002342
- Definition: The structure of a skeleton.
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exoskeleton
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/UBERON_0006611
- Definition: Exoskeleton or shell, including those of mollusks, turtles, insects and crustaceans
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type specimen repository
- URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/TypeSpecimenRepository
- Definition: The institution that holds a type specimen for a given species. The recommended best practice is to use the identifier in a collections registry such as the Biodiversity Collections Index (http://www.biodiversitycollectionsindex.org/).
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NHMUK
used for
- URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/Uses
- Definition: The uses of the organism or products derived from the organism.
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food
- URI: https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q2095
- Definition: any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body
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Known occurrences, collected specimens and observations of American Horseshoe Crab. View this species on GBIF

James Dowling-Healey cc-by-nc-sa-3.0