Limulus Polyphemus Research Paper

The Limulus polyphemus has a primitive blood. According to Bang & Levin (n.d.) the Atlantic horseshoe crab blood carries oxygen and has a special pigment that is a protein called hemocyanin. Homo sapien blood has a very similar protein in it called hemoglobin that makes the blood red from iron in the blood. Hemocynanin has copper molecules in it causing the Atlantic horseshoe crab to have blue blood. The hemocytes (blood cells) in the blue blood have a special clotting aspect. The hemocytes are packed with small granules that include a clotting factor called coagulogen. This blue blood is an incredible advantage for the Limulus polyphemus. The Atlantic horseshoe crab has a lot of wide-open spaces in its shell where bacteria can enter …show more content…
According to Volz (2008) the Atlantic horseshoe crab has a of pair compound eyes that sit amongst its head. These are its lateral eyes; they are used to help the Atlantic horseshoe crab find a mating partner. The Limulus polyphemus is the only animal from the subphylum chelicerata with these compound eyes. The Atlantic horseshoe crab has an additional five eyes located on top of its shell. The first two are the median eyes. The median eyes have the ability to see ultraviolet light and have special cells that are sensitive to visible light. Since the Atlantic horseshoe crab can see ultraviolet this allows them to see during the night, therefore they can watch out for lurking predators. The Limulus polyphemus also has two rudimentary eyes that function as soon as the Atlantic horseshoe crab hatches. Lastly, the Atlantic horseshoe crab has two eyes located on its underside. These ventral eyes allow it to see below itself when swimming so it can watch out for predators (Horseshoe crab, n.d.). The existence of the Limulus polyphemus eyes have been a great adaptation because it has allowed the horseshoe crab to be aware of its surroundings and stay away from