The Role of Horseshoe Crabs in the Biomedical Industry and Recent Trends Impacting Species Sustainability

Abstract

Every year the Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) arrives on shore to spawn, a sight once taken for granted. However, in addition to the gradual climate changes impacting all ecosystems, commercial demand from the widespread application of Atlantic horseshoe crab blood in industrial endotoxin testing and steady use as eel and whelk bait has brought the future of this enduring species into question. In response, regulations have been adopted to enhance the traceability and record keeping of horseshoe crab harvest, which has historically been difficult to track. However, these regulations do not restrict or limit LAL harvest in any significant manner. Still, sometimes-lethal biomedical bleeding process and associated behavioral changes pose a risk to horseshoe crab viability after bleeding and once returned to the waters. As a result, regulators and environmentalists are concerned that current trends and overfishing of this marine arthropod will significantly impact the surrounding ecosystem. This review examines their role and recent trends in the biomedical industry that are impacting these ancient creatures and the derivative effect on shorebirds, while considering emerging alternatives where feasible, as well as ways to ensure sustainable and pragmatic harvesting strategies. Ultimately, healthy populations of horseshoe crabs are vital to restoring and maintaining ecosystems while balancing the need for medical and research applications entirely dependent on these unique creatures.

Horseshoe Crab Aquaculture as a Sustainable Endotoxin Testing Source

“…Annually, some 600,000 HSCs are captured and bled to meet LAL demand, of which some 30% expire in the process (Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission [ASMFC], 2019). Current threats to wild HSC populations include not only biomedical harvesting but also habitat encroachment, global warming, and its use as bait for eel and whelk fisheries, which have negatively impacted population numbers (Krisfalusi-Gannon et al, 2018). The uncertain future of HSCs and the importance of LAL to modern medicine have prompted innovations for sustainable HSC cultivation (Krisfalusi-Gannon et al, 2018).…”

“…Current threats to wild HSC populations include not only biomedical harvesting but also habitat encroachment, global warming, and its use as bait for eel and whelk fisheries, which have negatively impacted population numbers (Krisfalusi-Gannon et al, 2018). The uncertain future of HSCs and the importance of LAL to modern medicine have prompted innovations for sustainable HSC cultivation (Krisfalusi-Gannon et al, 2018). As such, aquaculture has become a promising approach to restore dwindling populations.…”

Research Development on Horseshoe Crab: A 30-Year Bibliometric Analysis

“…Given the ability of amebocytes to instantaneously react with endotoxins, horseshoe crabs are hunted for use in safety tests in medical production (Gauvry, 2015;Fennrich et al, 2016;Krisfalusi-Gannon et al, 2018). Tachyplesin in horseshoe crab hemocytes exerts a strong antimicrobial effect on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Dorrington and Gomez-Chiarri, 2008) and has an antimicrobial activity against multidrugresistant pathogens (Liu et al, 2018).…”

Peer Review #2 of "Histological evaluation of five suture materials in the telson ligament of the American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) (v0.1)"

“…Conservation efforts may help protect horseshoe crabs from population decline. There are stricter, although likely inadequate (Smith et al, 2017), regulations on harvesting by the bait fishery and biomedical bleeding industries (ASMFC, 2006;ASMFC, 2010b), considerations for alternative baits and more efficient use of baits, and efforts to implement a new endotoxin test to replace or supplement the LAL test or to make the LAL test more sustainable (Krisfalusi-Gannon et al, 2018). While horseshoe crab populations have stabilized in the Delaware Bay region and increased in abundance in parts of the Southeast, the Northeast region continues to see a decrease in abundance and the stock status is currently undergoing a benchmark assessment (ASFMC, 2015;ASFMC, 2017;Smith et al, 2017).…”

“…While horseshoe crab populations have stabilized in the Delaware Bay region and increased in abundance in parts of the Southeast, the Northeast region continues to see a decrease in abundance and the stock status is currently undergoing a benchmark assessment (ASFMC, 2015;ASFMC, 2017;Smith et al, 2017). The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) predicts a 30% decline over the next 40 years (Smith et al, 2017;Krisfalusi-Gannon et al, 2018). Free-ranging and captive horseshoe crabs can be affected by infectious and non-infectious diseases (Leibovitz and Lewbart, 2004;Smith and Berkson, 2005;Nolan and Smith, 2009).…”