Juvenile horseshoe crab behaviour – self righting

This post documents the behaviour of a juvenile horseshoe crab (Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda) at an inter-tidal mudflat at Luk Geng, New Territories, Hong Kong.

This photograph was taken just as the tide was receding and shows a juvenile C. rotundicauda on its back trying to self-right itself using its tail. The tail marks left by the animal’s actions can clearly be seen in the muddy substrate (if horseshoe crabs end up on their backs, they use their tail as a lever to self-right themselves).