New research has found that the Asian horseshoe crabs need to be protected through targeted conservation and research efforts.
The team found that the Asian variants of the horseshoe crab have been very poorly studied, while the Atlantic species has been studied extensively. This lack of information is a bad omen for the species, since they can’t be appropriately protected without sufficient information.
The study highlights the importance of Southeast Asia’s Sunda Shelf, which is home to several of the Asian species and is a critical habitat to their survival.
According to the study lead from the Department of Biological Sciences at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Science, Associate Professor Frank Rheindt:
“To protect and conserve these species, it is crucial that we first cover the basics — understanding their population structure, evolutionary histories and climate-change-driven vulnerabilities. This foundational knowledge will enable us to develop targeted conservation strategies and prioritise habitats critical for their survival. We have established the Horseshoe Crab Global Biorepository, with its physical collection located at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum at NUS, to support ongoing and future research.
“Through this resource, we hope to foster collaborations and secure funding to advance genomic research on horseshoe crabs. We are currently working with the Chinese University of Hong Kong on genomic research specifically focused on the tri-spine horseshoe crab.”
While the study first author Dr. Tang Qian added:
“Such distinctions are important, as they highlight populations that harbour unique genetic traits essential for adapting to specific local environments. Genomic data also helps us pinpoint coastal hotspots that should be prioritised for conservation. Our study provides an important impetus and the necessary baseline data for the preservation of key habitats for horseshoe crabs’ future survival.
“As an important caveat, however, our work is only based on environmental factors and does not take into account future human activities that may directly alter habitats, such as coastal development. The survival of horseshoe crabs will therefore critically depend on interventions based on local contexts.”
(Featured image credit: Dr. Tang Qian)
