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    Why is a horseshoe crab's blood blue, doesn't it contain hemoglobin?

    Question #41230. Asked by TheAlphaWolf. (Nov 17 03 2:48 PM)


    quickfire

    		it contains copper instead of iron, turning the blood blue
    http://ne.essortment.com/horseshoecrab_raie.htm

    Nov 17 03, 5:03 PM
    sequoianoir

    		Woodlice along with most other crustaceans including the horseshoe crab have the compound haemocyanin in their blood.
    Haemocycanin carries oxygen in the same way that haemoglobin does in mammals.
    Haemocycanin contains a copper atom instead of the iron atom found in haemogobin.
    The blood is pale blue when it is carrying oxygen and colourless when it is not carrying oxygen.


    Nov 17 03, 6:23 PM
    Creedy

    		Unlike humans, horseshoe crabs do not have hemoglobin in their blood, but instead use hemocyanin to carry oxygen. Because of the copper present in hemocyanin, their blood is blue.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseshoe_crab

    Aug 21 10, 7:34 AM

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