Taxonomic Classification

Taxonomic Classification

Scientific Name

Description

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Arthropoda	Animal with jointed legs
Subphylum	Chelicerata	Animals with no jaws
Class	Merostomata	The mouth is surrounded by legs
Subclass	Xiphosura	Xiphos meaning sword and uros meaning tail in Greek
Order	Xiphosurida	Meaning sword-tailed animal
Family	Limulidae	3 superfamilies with numerous families/subfamilies
Genus	Limulus	Latin, meaning somewhat oblique by referring to the sideways placement of the compound eyes. 3 genera within the subclass
Species	polyphemus	Greek, meaning one-eyed giant and referring to the simple eyes on the carapace

Xiphosurans are members of the subphylum Chelicerata that contains an estimate 75000 species consisting of a diverse array of organisms such as spiders, scorpions, mites, ticks and of course the horseshoe crab. It also includes extinct groups such as the Eurypterids, Trigonotarbida, and Chasmataspida. However the Xiphosura have a separate class, the Merostomata. Within this class are many extinct families, genera and species of which only three genera and four species survived:

• Limulus polyphemus - an Eastern American species (Largest Living Species)
• Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda - an Indian species (Smallest Living Species)
• Tachypleus gigas - a South East Asian species
• Tachypleus tridentatus - a South East Asian species
  

• Main page
• Characters/ anatomy
• Major subgroups in the phylum
• Fossil record
• Fossil record 2
• Modern forms
• Literature and web links

Author: Andrew Przewieslik
Last updated: 21/11/05
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