A JURASSIC HORSESHOE CRAB WITH NATURAL TRACKWAY

A JURASSIC HORSESHOE CRAB WITH NATURAL TRACKWAY

Mesolimulus walchi 

Jurassic 

Solnhofen, Germany

The present specimen is a superb example of a large fossil Horseshoe Crab showing excellent detail to the carapace with some minor restoration to the delicate shield, spines, and tail. There is a distinct trackway and tail drag impression leading from behind the horseshoe crab. The horseshoe crab measures 8.0 x 4.75 inches (20.0 x 12.0 cm) on its original Limestone matrix of 28.4 x 7.5 inches (72.0 x 19.0 cm)

Horseshoe crabs have been around for over 450 million years and have managed to survive the multiple extinction events over the eons. They are from a unique group of arthropods that are in fact related to spiders and scorpions, not crustaceans (despite the resemblance). Mesolimulus is an extinct genus though originally assigned to the living genus Limulus, they are related to and look virtually identical to the modern horseshoe crab.