Horseshoe Crab (Noun)
Meaning
Large marine arthropod of the Atlantic coast of North America having a domed carapace that is shaped like a horseshoe and a stiff pointed tail; a living fossil related to the wood louse.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The beach was littered with the shells of deceased horseshoe crabs, a grim reminder of the creatures' fragility.
- Conservation efforts are underway to protect the horseshoe crab population, which is threatened by overfishing.
- While snorkeling, I spotted a giant horseshoe crab buried in the sand, its shell rising above the seafloor.
- Horseshoe crabs are often considered living fossils because they have retained their ancient body shape for millions of years.
- In the evening, hundreds of horseshoe crabs emerged from the ocean to mate on the moonlit beach, as they have for millennia.