"Living Fossils" start wash up on shores of Southern Japan

Q.  What sea creature is known as the “living fossils” as they are among the earth’s oldest creatures?
- Published on 17 Sep 16

a. Sea Horsea.
b. Horseshoe crab
c. Sea Anemone
d. Octopus

ANSWER: Horseshoe crab
 
"Living Fossils" start wash up on shores of Southern JapanA vast number of horseshoe crabs have washed ashore dead in Southern Japan. They are among the earth’s oldest creatures, which is why they are called “living fossils”
  • Horseshoe crabs are known for blue blood.

  • They visit the tidal plats in SW japan where they lay eggs in summer.

  • This year, a local conservation group reported that the number of precious marine anthropoids were unusually high.

  • Amount of dead crabs was 8 times more than the usual during the fertile season, numbering 500.

  • Numerous academics pointed to oxygen shortage due to higher sea water temperature or parasitic disease associated with horseshoe crabs as a possible cause.

  • Japan’s environment ministry calls these helmet crabs endangered species which have declined sharply due to coastal habitat destruction in association with Japan’s economic development.

  • No concrete measures have been taken to prevent the fall in numbers so far.

  • Horseshoe crab called Kabutogani in Japanese means “warrior helmet carb” and it has survived for 200 million years.

  • Japan Horseshoe Crab Association was formed in 1978; it counted the dead crabs this summer.

  • The biology of the horseshoe crab is a mystery according to experts; not much is known about it.

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