The Research of Science and Conservation of Horseshoe Crabs in China

Yongyan LIAO
College of Ocean, Beibu Gulf University, Guangxi, China

Abstract.Research on Tachypleus tridentatus amebocyte and the production of Tachypleus amebocyte lysate (TAL) started in the 1980s by Zhenmin Xia, Youling Ding and Hongwei Wu, after the transfer of LAL manufacture techniques into China in 1975. Guangyao Liang from the Guangxi Marine Institute conducted captivity breeding of T. tridentatus in 1982, their artificial culture in 1984 and population investigation within Beibu Gulf in 1985, and first discovered Carcinoscopius rotundicauda in China in 1986. He is considered as the first scientist in China who clarified the distribution pattern of T. tridentatus and C. rotundicauda in China, and conducted systematic research on the population and artificial rearing of T. tridentatus. Prof. Shuigen Hong from the Xiamen University utilized electric stimulation techniques to enhance egg release from T. tridentatus in 1985, and researched on the oogenesis process in 1986-1988, hemocyanin in 1997, antibacterial activity of tachyplesin in 1998, and formation of amebocytes in 2000. Prof. S.G. Hong has summarized his research findings and published a book entitled “Biology of Horseshoe Crabs, Tachypleus tridentatus” in 2013. He is therefore recognized as the pioneer who conducted systematic research on breeding, physiology and tachyplesin in China. His work has been continued by Prof. Yongyan Liao from the Beibu Gulf University. He worked on artificial fertilization and captivity breeding of T. tridentatus in 1997, and researched on tachyplesin in 1998 with Prof. S.G. Hong. Prof. Liao recorded T. tridentatus during the winter in 2000, and in the same year he addressed the food poisoning cases due to horseshoe crab consumption. In 2000, he noted the threatened status of T. tridentatus, clarified the distribution of horseshoe crab species in the southern waters, and proposed conservation actions. In 2002, he summarized that there are only T. tridentatus and C. rotundicauda in Chinese waters to overcome the widespread misconceptions that other horseshoe crabs such as yellow-skin horseshoe crab, blue-skin horseshoe crab, ghost crab and black-skin horseshoe crab are other horseshoe crab species present in China. In 2006, he also clarified the species and distribution of horseshoe crabs in Asian waters. Prof. Liao is acknowledged as the first in China working on the conservation biology of T. tridentatus, and investigated food poisoning involving horseshoe crabs. Apart from that, Deyao Wang (1983) and Xinyi Cai (1984) from the Xiamen University, P. Liang (1981) and Y.Q. Wu (1993) from the Fujian Medical College implemented cellular research on hemolymph, growth and intestine of T. tridentatus; Zhaohong Weng from the Jimei University enhanced the understanding of embryo and cellular development, and ecological perspective of T. tridentatus. Since 2010, a research team led by Qiongzhen Li from the Guangxi Academy of Fishery Sciences has been working on the conservation biology and ecology of T. tridentatus.

Keywords.China, Tachypleus tridentatus, Tachypleus amebocyte lysate, laboratory culture, conservation biology, tachyplesin, food poisoning due to horseshoe crab consumption