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Biologists Ask Public to Report Horseshoe Crab Sightings

FWC Press Release

March 29, 2007

Contact:

Wendy Quigley  (727) 896-8626

BIOLOGISTS ASK PUBLIC TO REPORT HORSESHOE CRAB SIGHTINGS

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Mating Horseshoe Crabs     Photo Credit: FWC

St. Petersburg– Biologists at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute need help from the public in identifying horseshoe crab spawning beaches throughout the state.

The best time to find horseshoe crabs spawning is around a high tide right before or just after a full or new moon. The next full moon will be on Monday, April 2.

Observant beachgoers can report the time, date and location of horseshoe crab sightings through one of the following convenient options.

• Fill out an online survey at http://research.MyFWC.com/horseshoe_crab
• E-mail information to horseshoe@MyFWC.com
• Dial toll-free 1-866-252-9326

Biologists also want to know how many horseshoe crabs observers see and whether the horseshoe crabs are spawning.

Horseshoe crabs benefit humans in several ways. For instance, research on the compound eyes of horseshoe crabs led to better understanding of the human visual system, and horseshoe crab blood is useful in the biomedical industry. In addition, manufacturers use the material that makes up the horseshoe crab’s shell (chitin) to make contact lenses, skin creams and hair sprays.

Many citizens have responded to the horseshoe crab nesting beach survey since it began in 2002. Biologists regularly update the survey results. Visit http://research.MyFWC.com/features/view_article.asp?id=20822  to see how many reports have come from individual counties.