Novel Epibiont Coral Found on Limulus polyphemus (Atlantic Horseshoe Crab) in Northwestern Florida

Berlynna M. Heres^1,*, Rosalyn F. Kilcollins², and Claire E. Crowley¹

¹Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, St. Petersburg, FL 33703.²Florida Horseshoe Crab Watch, Tallahassee, FL 32301.*Corresponding author.

Southeastern Naturalist, Volume 19, Issue 3 (2020): N45–N48

Abstract
Limulus polyphemus (Atlantic Horseshoe Crab) is host to many epibionts. A spawning Atlantic Horseshoe Crab was observed with a Scleractinia coral growing on its opisthosoma. The coral was identified as Cladocora arbuscula (Tube Coral). This is the first report of a coral species using a horseshoe crab as host.

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