Delaware SuperGraphic

Introduction

What is 300 million years old, a close relative of the scorpion and spider, and has glowing copper-blue blood that is critical to the survival of mankind? Well, it is the horseshoe crab of course! The horseshoe crab is the oldest and one of the most fascinating "living fossils" in the world. Over 90 percent of this ancient water creature's population, the largest concentration of horseshoe crabs in the world, remains in the Delaware Bay, located between Delaware and New Jersey, and the nearby coastal ocean.

How did these modern medical marvels survive the dinosaurs, ice ages and evolution? Dive into Delaware Bay, and explore this fascinating creature and why their survival is critical to the health of both the coastal ecosystem and humans like you.

Related images

Courtesy of The University of Delaware Sea Grant Program.

The graphic The Horseshoe Crab