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Mangrove Horseshoe Crab

Arthropod Relatives

The mangrove horseshoe crab is found in tropical marine and brackish waters of India, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia, and is the smallest of the four living horseshoe crab species, with females averaging 30.5 to 31.5 centimeters and males 28 to 30.5 centimeters long. Its tail is rounded in cross section rather than triangular, distinguishing it from other horseshoe crabs, and it lives close to the bottom of shallow, sandy or muddy brackish waters such as mangroves. Unlike other horseshoe crabs its flesh can contain lethal tetrodotoxin, and poisoning cases have occurred when it is mistaken for the harmless Tachypleus gigas and eaten as a delicacy. It is listed as Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List, though some regional populations such as in Hong Kong have declined sharply over the past decade.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Carnivore 1
System (Realm)
Marine 2
Relationship to People
Eaten or Drunk by People 1
Living or Extinct
Yes 3
Scientific Name
Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda 5
Conservation Status
Data Deficient 1
Comparison
CITES Appendix
Not Listed 4
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Limulidae, Taxa
Source Mangrove Horseshoe Crab (Wikidata)

In Biome

Marine, Biomes
Source Wikipedia: Mangrove horseshoe crab
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Asia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Bangladesh

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

India

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Myanmar

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Philippines

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sri Lanka

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Wikipedia: Mangrove horseshoe crab
Wikipedia
  • Diet
    Mangrove horseshoe crabs are selective benthic feeders, feeding mainly on insect larvae, small fish, oligochaetes, small crabs and thin-shelled bivalves.
  • Edible use
    Mangrove horseshoe crabs are collected by fishermen throughout Southeast Asia for culinary use.
  • Introduction
    It is listed as Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List, though some regional populations such as in Hong Kong have declined sharply over the past decade.
  • In Biome: Marine, Wikipedia intro: "nd-tailed horseshoe crab, is a species of horseshoe crab, a chelicerate arthropod found in tropical marine and brackish waters of India, Bangladesh, and Southea..."
View the Source
2. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species APIView the Source
3. Mangrove Horseshoe Crab (Wikidata)
Wikidata
  • Statements section, conservation status (P141)
    Wikidata Q2673503: data deficient (P141).
  • Child Taxon Of: Limulidae, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
  • In Group: Horseshoe Crabs (Xiphosura), Lead
    The mangrove horseshoe crab (Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda), also known as the round-tailed horseshoe crab, is a species of horseshoe crab, a chelicerate arthropod found in tropical marine and brackish waters of India, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia.
View the Source
4. UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda
UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 107220
Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 107220
"rank":"SPECIES","name_status":"A","updated_at":"2026-07-03T08:48:45.235Z","active":true,"cites_listing":"NC"
View the Source
5. Wikipedia: Mangrove horseshoe crab
WikipediaWikidata Q2673503 (P225 taxon name)View the Source
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