Horseshoe Crab Research Paper

Horseshoe crabs are not the prettiest creatures, nor are they the most well-respected. No conservation organization has one of these homely sea-goers as their mascot, but they should. They are far more interesting and important than they appear. Their blood, in particular, is a fascinating wonder of the living world. It has several qualities that make it unique among animals and useful to medicine, but this limited resource is becoming increasingly endangered. The most obvious difference between horseshoe crab blood and that of the average animal is its color. It is blue. It is made that unique color by hemocyanin, which contains copper. This molecule circulates oxygen through the crab’s body (Harrington). The other main difference is the
Horseshoe crab populations are shrinking. For example, the population in Delaware Bay may have gone down by as much as 90% over the past 15 years (Monks). While the majority of horseshoe crabs’ problem may have to do with the environment, bleeding isn’t completely blameless. Ten to thirty percent of crabs brought in to be bled die during the ordeal (Monks). While this may not seem to be a big issue due to the small percentage, one must consider the enormity of the number of crabs being bled. Walls and Berkson approximate the losses of crabs each year due to bleeding to be at or above 18,750. Death is not the only negative outcome on these creatures. Crabs that have been bled have difficulties upon returning to the sea, which frequently include an inability to mate (Monks). This further damages horseshoe crab populations. Since only one species yields LAL, when they are gone so too are all of the tests they contribute to (Adams). This could spell disaster for medical quality control everywhere. There is, however, good news. New developments have decreased the amount of LAL needed to perform certain tests (Monks). Over time, this could decrease the demand for crab blood, thereby saving the lives of thousands of