Horseshoe crabs are vexing. We capture millions for their blood (useful for testing the purity of phama). There are alternatives, but biologist worry that the animals will suffer more if they become useless to humans.
Horseshoe Crab Tags
Submitted 4 months ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to science_memes@mander.xyz
https://mander.xyz/pictrs/image/e9ef2bd7-050b-4b1e-ad15-f1ad1d017df5.jpeg
Comments
yesman@lemmy.world 4 months ago
ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Keep your eyes peeled
Fun horseshoe crab fact: horseshoe crabs have like five different types of eyes. Even that tail is basically one big eye, covered in photoreceptive cells. Those fuckers are really good at crawling around in the mud.
Kyrgizion@lemmy.world 4 months ago
I failed crab in high school :(
Morphit@feddit.uk 4 months ago
Now’s your chance to find crab success!
boatsnhos615@lemmings.world 4 months ago
Definitely going to put on the resume
recklessengagement@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Does the crab not also get a certificate of participation? They certainly deserve one
Peace@programming.dev 4 months ago
Wow, where do they live?
general_kitten@sopuli.xyz 4 months ago
Judging by the name probably on the hooves of horses
ShepherdPie@midwest.social 4 months ago
rambling_lunatic@sh.itjust.works 4 months ago
Probably Nantucket, judging by the image credit.
Agrivar@lemmy.world 4 months ago
That image caused me to do a double-take! I live on Nantucket island, and am well aware of the Nantucket Conservation Foundation, and I’ve NEVER heard of this program nor anyone finding a tagged horseshoe crab.
Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 4 months ago
Does it need to be alive? I only find dead ones.
JackbyDev@programming.dev 4 months ago
If it’s tagged I’d still report it
Etterra@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Seeing how valuable their blood is for medicine and research I would expect to check to come with that.
adj16@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Nice, I understood that reference
dejected_warp_core@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Completely relevant song for your living-fossil, crab-based browsing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxa9xqe4UNA
Background:
IMongoose@lemmy.world 4 months ago
You can do a similar thing if you see a bird with a wing tag. You get a little certificate but no little bird pin thing sadly.
Bishma@discuss.tchncs.de 4 months ago
Good to know. Next time I see a horseshoe crab I won’t just run at it screaming “Can I see your blood?!”
The crabs react better to it than most Uber drivers though.