Limulus in the Limelight A Species 350 Million Years in the Making and in Peril?

Limulus in the Limelight: A Species 350 Million Years in the Making and in Peril? contains 14 chapters covering the horseshoe crab's biology, ecology and evolutionary development. The book is a result of three mini-conferences held between 1996 and 2000 celebrating the populations in NY harbor. This book exposes the impacts of over fishing on this species; clarifies the future research agenda for the species worldwide and emphasizes the need for conservation of this fascinating creature's estuaries/ocean habitats.
Biologists, ecologists, science educators, and conservationists will welcome this book because it is aimed at the preservation of Limulus, not only for its pharmacological interest but for the mystery related to its longevity. Limulus is a unique animal which has provided numerous uses for man over the years, from fertilizer to bait to medical research. However, if this species is not protected soon, it will be lost for the future.

Introduction: Limulus in the Limelight.- Local Species with Global Implications.- Horseshoe Crabs Imperiled?.- Biology and Evolution.- Two Perspectives: Horseshoe Crabs During 420 Million Years, Worldwide, and the Past 150 Years in the Delaware Bay Area.- The Conservation of Horseshoe Crabs: What Can We Learn From the Japanese Experience?.- A Unique Medial Product (LAL) from the Horseshoe Crab and Monitoring the Delaware Bay Horseshoe Crab Population.- Behavior and Diversity Studies.- Tracks and Trails.- Biomedical Products from the Horseshoe Crab: Lessons for Sound Resource Mangement and Conservation.- Issues and Approaches in Regulation of the Horseshoe Crab Fishery.- The Life History of Horseshoe Crabs.- Horseshoe Crab Mangement and Resource Monitoring in New Jersey 1993–1998.- Present Day Investigations.- Horseshoe Crab Surveys Using Underwater Videography.- Horseshoe Crabs: An Ancient Wonder of New York and a Great Topic for Environmental Education.- Living on Limulus.- An Estimate of Population Sizes of Two Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus) Sites in Jamaica Bay.- A Final Word.- Preserving a Living Fossil.

Dr John T. Tanacredi is Chief, Division of Natural Resources for the National Park Service at Gateway National Recreation Area. He is a Research Associate in the Department of Invertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History and at the Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation. He holds Adjunct Full Professor of Environmental Sciences at Hofstra University and Polytechnic University.