[Study on the toxicity of horseshoe crabs in mice]

In order to study the toxicity of horseshoe crabs(tachypleus tridentatus and carcinoscorpius rotundicauda) in the sea of China, the extracts of tissues from tachypleus tridentatus and carcinoscorpius rotundicauda were injected into the abdominal cavity of mice for testing their poisoning effects. The results showed that the toxicity of carcinoscorpius rotundicauda was much higher than that of tachypleus tridentatus. The length of time from the injection to the death was much shorter for Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda than that for tachypleus tridentatus. The signs before death for Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda poisoning were restless, jumping and spasm but that for Tachypleus tridentatus was lethargy. The toxicity of adult horseshoe crabs was much higher than that of young horseshoe crabs.