It’s International Horseshoe Crab Day!! Why are Horseshoe Crabs so important? •Medical uses: The blood of horseshoe crabs contains a critical component, Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate, known as LAL. This unique compound clots when exposed to bacteria or bacterial endotoxins. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration requires all drugs intended for human consumption to be tested using LAL. Some medical equipment and devices including items such as IV tubing are also tested with LAL. Currently, scientists ha

Horseshoe crab: A living fossil of the benthos