What the Heck Is That - Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program

Transcription

What the Heck Is That - Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program
“What the Heck Is That . . . ?”
A Field Guide to Treasures of Florida Gulf Bays
by James Tanner Stults
A field guide designed for volunteers in association with:
Sarasota Bay Watch & Sarasota County
Department of Water Resources
With financial support from the
Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program
Common Name: Drift Algae
Scientific Name: There is a wide variety of Drift Algae in Florida Bays
Fun Facts: This alga is floating in a bed of Manatee Grass. Drift Algae is
found in a dizzying array of shapes, colors and structures. A common
problem in this area is that red drift algae washes ashore and rots on the
beach creating a bad smell. For this reason, algae is often scraped from the
shoreline of public beaches using tractors.
Common Name: Green Felt Algae, Dead Man’s Fingers
Scientific Name: Codium species
Fun Facts: This alga is common in shallow to moderate depths of water
attached to hard substrates. Nearly 700 species of macroalgae have been
reported in the Gulf of Mexico.
Common Name:
Name:Shoal
ShoalGrass
Grass
Common
Halodulewrightii
wrightii
Scientific Name:
Name: Halodule
Scientific
Common Name: Shoal Grass
Scientific Name: Halodule w
Fun
Fun Facts:
Facts:Shoal
ShoalGrass
Grassisismore
morerobust
robustthan
thanTurtle
TurtleGrass
Grassor
orManatee
ManateeGrass.
Grass.
It
Itwill
willoften
oftengrow
growin
inareas
areasthat
thatare
aretoo
tooharsh
harshand
anddisturbed
disturbedby
bywave
waveaction
action
for
forother
otherseagrasses
seagrassesto
togrow.
grow.Shoal
ShoalGrass
Grassisisflat,
flat,very
verythin
thin(~0.1
(~0.1in)
in)and
andcan
can
grow
growto
to13
13inches
inchesin
inlength.
length.
Image
Imagecourtesy
courtesyof;
of;Charlotte
CharlotteHarbor
HarborNational
NationalEstuary
EstuaryProgram
Program
Fun Facts: Shoal Grass is mo
It will often grow in areas tha
Common Name:
Name: Turtle
TurtleGrass
Grass
Common
Scientific Name:
Name: Thalassia
Scientific
Thalassiatestudinum
testudinum
Common Name: Turtle Grass
Scientific Name: Thalassia test
Fun
Fun Facts:
Facts: Turtle
TurtleGrass
Grassisisthe
themost
mostcommon
commontype
typeof
ofseagrass
seagrassfound
foundoff
offof
of
Florida’s
Florida’scoast.
coast.The
Thecommon
commonname
name“Turtle
“TurtleGrass”
Grass”was
waschosen
chosenbecause
becausegreen
green
sea
seaturtles
turtlesoften
oftengraze
grazeon
onbeds
bedsof
ofthis
thisseagrass.
seagrass.The
Theblades
bladesare
arebetween
between4430
30inches
incheslong
longand
and1-1.5
1-1.5inches
incheswide.
wide.Turtle
Turtlegrass
grassoften
oftenhas
hasaagreenishgreenishyellow
yellowfuzzy
fuzzycoating
coatingthat
thatconsists
consistsprimarily
primarilyof
ofalgae,
algae,diatoms
diatomsand
andsmall
small
plants
plantscalled
calledepiphytes
epiphytesgrowing
growingon
onthe
theblade.
blade.
Fun Facts: Turtle Grass is the m
Florida’s coast. The common nam
Image
Imagecourtesy
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of;Charlotte
CharlotteHarbor
HarborNational
NationalEstuary
EstuaryProgram
Program
Common
Common Name:
Name:Manatee
ManateeGrass
Grass
Scientific
Syringodiumfiliforme
filiforme
Scientific Name:
Name: Syringodium
Common Name: Manatee Grass
Scientific Name: Syringodium
Fun
Fun Facts:
Facts:Manatee
ManateeGrass
Grassisisthe
thesecond
secondmost
mostcommon
commonseagrass
seagrassin
inFlorida
Florida
and
andisiseasily
easilyidentified
identifiedbecause
becauseof
ofits
itscylindrical
cylindricalblades.
blades.This
Thisseagrass
seagrassgrows
grows
anywhere
anywherefrom
from4-12
4-12inches
incheslong
longand
andisisless
lessthan
than0.1
0.1inches
incheswide.
wide.As
Asits
its
common
commonname
namesuggests,
suggests,ititisisaapreferred
preferredfood
foodof
ofthe
themanatees.
manatees.
Image
Imagecourtesy
courtesyof;
of;Charlotte
CharlotteHarbor
HarborNational
NationalEstuary
EstuaryProgram
Program
Fun Facts: Manatee Grass is th
and is easily identified because
anywhere from 4-12 inches long
Common Name:
Name:Red
RedMangrove
Mangrove
Common
Scientific Name:
Name: Rhizophora
Scientific
Rhizophoramangle
mangle
Common Name: Red Mangrove
Fun
Fun
Facts:
Facts:Red
Redmangroves
mangroves
live
liveRhizophora
closer
closerto
tothe
theshoreline
shoreline
than
thanother
othermangroves.
mangroves.
Scientific
Name:
mangle
They
Theycan
cansurvive
survivethe
theharsher
harsherconditions
conditionsof
ofthe
theshoreline
shorelinebecause
becauseof
ofthe
the
mass
massof
ofreddish
reddishroots
rootsthey
theyperch
perchon.
on.These
These“prop
“proproots”
roots”increase
increasestability
stability
and
andallow
allowfor
forgreater
greatersupply
supplyof
ofoxygen.
oxygen.
Fun Facts: Red mangroves live closer to the shorelin
Image
Image
courtesy
courtesy
of;
of;Charlotte
CharlotteHarbor
Harbor
National
National
Estuary
EstuaryProgram
Program
They
can
survive
the
harsher
conditions of the shore
mass of reddish roots they perch on. These “prop ro
and allow for greater supply of oxygen.
Common Name:
Name:Black
BlackMangrove
Mangrove
Common
CommonName:
Name:
Black Mangrove
Avicennia
Avicennia
germinans
germinans
Scientific
Name:
Scientific
Scientific Name: Avicennia germinans
Fun
Fun Facts:
Facts: Black
Blackmangroves
mangrovesgrow
growfarther
fartherback
backfrom
fromthe
thewater
waterthan
thanred
red
mangroves,
mangroves,
where
where
the
theelevation
elevation
isisslightly
slightly
higher.
higher.Black
Black
mangroves
are
easily
easily
Fun Facts:
Black
mangroves
grow farther
backmangroves
from theare
water
than red
distinguished
distinguished
because
because
of
of
the
the
small
small
root-like
root-like
projections,
projections,
called
called
mangroves, where the elevation is slightly higher. Black mangroves are e
pneumatophores,
pneumatophores,which
whichsurround
surroundthe
theperiphery
peripheryof
ofthe
theplants.
plants.
distinguished because of the small root-like projections, called
pneumatophores,
which
surround
the periphery
of the plants.
Image
Imagecourtesy
courtesyof;
of;Charlotte
CharlotteHarbor
HarborNational
NationalEstuary
EstuaryProgram
Program
Image courtesy of; Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program
Common Name:
Name:White
WhiteMangrove
Mangrove
Common
Common Name: White Mangrove
Lagunculariaracemosa
racemosa
Scientific Name:
Name: Laguncularia
Scientific
Scientific Name: Laguncularia racemosa
Fun
Fun Facts:
Facts:The
Thewhite
whitemangrove
mangrovelives
livesthe
thefurthest
furthestfrom
fromthe
theshoreline.
shoreline.One
One
way
wayto
toidentify
identify
white
white
mangroves
mangroves
is
is
by
by
the
the
lack
lack
of
of
an
an
aerial
aerial
root
root
system,
system,
such
such
Fun Facts: The white mangrove lives the furthest
from th
as
aspneumatophores
pneumatophoresor
orprop
proproots.
roots.The
Thewhite
whitemangrove
mangroveisisthe
theleast
least
way to identify white mangroves is by the lack of an aerial
temperature
temperaturetolerant
tolerantmangrove
mangrovefound
foundin
inFlorida.
Florida.Because
Becauseof
ofthis,
this,ititisisfound
found
asclimate
pneumatophores
or prop roots. The white mangrove is th
in
inthe
thewarmer
warmerclimate
of
ofSouthern
SouthernFlorida.
Florida.
temperature tolerant mangrove found in Florida. Because o
Florida.
Image
Imagecourtesy
courtesyin
of;
of;the
Charlotte
Charlotte
Harbor
Harborclimate
National
NationalEstuary
Estuary
Program
Program
warmer
of Southern
Image courtesy of; Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program
Common Name: Yellow Sulfur Sponge, Yellow Boring Sponge with stone crab
Scientific Name: Cliona celata
Fun Facts: This sponge can start as a small mass on a shell or rock and then
form erect tubes covered with numerous small bumps. Sponges have no
nervous, circulatory, or digestive systems and they lack internal organs,
making them the most primitive multi-cellular organisms.
Common Name: Yellow Sulfur Sponge, Yellow Boring Sponge with stone crab
Scientific Name: Cliona celata
Fun Facts: This sponge can start as a small mass on a shell or rock and then
form erect tubes covered with numerous small bumps. Sponges have no
nervous, circulatory, or digestive systems and they lack internal organs,
making them the most primitive multi-cellular organisms.
Common Name: Sea Anemone and Hydroids on Crab
Scientific Name: Hydrozoa (hydroid), Anthozoa (anemone)
Fun Facts: Sea Anemones are named after the anemone, a terrestrial
flower. Both the plant like hydrozoans and sea anemones are related to the
jellyfish. All are contained in the Phylum Cnidaria.
Common Name: Sea Pork/Tunicate
Common Name: Sea Pork/Tunicate
Scientific Name: Ascidiacea
Scientific Name: Ascidiacea
Fun Facts: Phylum Chordata, Subphyulum Tunicata, Class Ascidiacea, Colonial
Ascidiacean. This tunicate is found in the same animal phylum as humans! A
Fun Facts: Phylum Chordata,
Subphyulum Tunicata, Class Ascidiacea, Colonial
close up image of some of the individuals can be seen here:
Ascidiacean. This tunicate
is found in the same animal phylum
aswash
humans!
http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/Tunicates/Colonial1.htm.
Many
up on the A
beach
when
the surf is rough
andbe
they
generally
grow attached to hard
close up image of some of
the
individuals
can
seen
here:
substrates.
http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/Tunicates/Colonial1.htm. Many wash up on the
beach when the surf is rough and they generally grow attached to hard
substrates.
Common Name: Tunicate, White Crust Tunicate
Scientific Name: Didemnum species
Common Name: Tunicate,
White Crust Tunicate
Fun Facts:
This is another type of tunicate; this one has completely
Scientific Name: Didemnum
species
enveloped a blade of turtle grass.
Fun Facts: This is another type of tunicate; this one has completely
enveloped a blade of turtle grass.
Common Name:
Name:Sea
SeaSquirt
Squirt
Common
Didemnumspecies
species
Scientific Name:
Name: Didemnum
Scientific
Common Name: Sea Squirt
Fun
Fun Facts:
Facts:Sea
Seasquirts
squirtsare
arefound
foundall
allover
overthe
thebay.
bay.They
Theyare
areaatype
typeof
of
Didemnum
Scientific
Name:
tunicate
tunicate
that
thatfilter
filterfeed.
feed.
They
Theyinhabit
inhabit
most
mostseagrass
seagrassspecies
beds
bedsand
andwill
willsquirt
squirt
water
waterififsqueezed.
squeezed.They
Theyanchor
anchorthe
thebottom
bottommost
mostpart
partof
ofthemselves
themselvesin
inthe
the
bay
bayfloor
floorand
andthe
therest
reststays
staysabove
abovethe
thefloor
floorin
inthe
thewater.
water.They
Theycan
canalso
also
sport
sportaawide
widerange
rangeof
ofcolors.
colors.
Fun Facts: Sea squirts are found all over the
Image
Image
courtesy
courtesyof;
of;Charlotte
Charlotte
Harbor
National
National
Estuary
EstuaryProgram
Program
tunicate
thatHarbor
filter
feed.
They inhabit most se
water if squeezed. They anchor the bottom mo
bay floor and the rest stays above the floor in
sport a wide range of colors.
Common Name: Sand Dollar, Keyhole Sand Dollar
Scientific Name: Mellita quinquiesperforata
Fun Facts: Sand Dollars get their names form their shape and color when
they are dried and sun bleached white. Most people think of the white, sun
bleached, boney sand dollar but living ones are greenish and have a small
layer of fuzzy feeling spines. Sand Dollars live on sand bars and on the edges
of seagrass beds. They burrow a few inches under the sand and usually live
in “herds” with a dozen or more sand dollars near them. Sand Dollars are
related to sea urchins, sea stars, and sea cucumbers. On rare occasions sand
dollars have been observed oriented vertically protruding from the sediment
with only one edge buried. This orientation is a filter feeding behavior. They
can grow up to be 5 inches in diameter.
Common Names: Slender Sea Star, Striped Luidia
Scientific Name: Luidia clathrata
Fun Facts: Often called starfish, the correct name is Sea Star as these
animals are echinoderms not fish. Local Sea Stars such as this one are
generally 2 to 6 inches across and can be found clinging to any number of
things – such as seawalls, pilings, oysters and other shells, seagrasses, or
just sitting on the flats. They are the anaconda of the bay, slowly but
relentlessly opening bivalves to feast on the muscle inside. Sea Stars are
closely related to sand dollars and sea urchins.
Common Name: Decorator Urchin
Scientific Name: Lytechinus variegatus
Fun Facts: Sea Urchins are a common organism of the bay. They have long
spines and are a deep red color. They feed on algae using their mouth, which
is found underneath their circular body, or test. As a defensive mechanism,
Sea Urchins will collect shells on their outer body to create a protective
cover. This “shell shield,” in conjunction with their long outer spines ward off
potential predators. Many Sea Urchins are poisonous but are usually
harmless to humans.
Common Names: Common Sea Urchin, Purple Sea Urchin
Scientific Name: Arbacia punctulata
Fun Facts: The Purple Sea Urchin is usually found in shallow water, is
common in the Gulf of Mexico living on rocks, sand, or shell bottoms and in
seagrass beds.
Common Name: Sea Urchin
Scientific Name: Unknown
Fun Facts: This “test” is what is left after a Sea Urchin dies and the spines
fall off. The beautiful pattern and delicate coloring make Sea Urchin shells
desirable for many ornamental purposes.
Common Name: Coquina Shells, Florida Coquina
ScientificFlorida
Name: Donax
variabilis
Common Name: Coquina Shells,
Coquina
Fun Facts: Coquinas are a key swash zone (the area where waves crash)
Scientific Name: Donax variabilis
species often occurring in high density. They are vulnerable to beach
impacts such as red tide and oil spills. They are edible, generally cooked
whole to separate the muscle from the shell for chowder.
Fun Facts: Coquinas are a key swash zone (the area where waves crash)
species often occurring in high density. They are vulnerable to beach
impacts such as red tide and oil spills. They are edible, generally cooked
whole to separate the muscle from the shell for chowder.
Common Names: Scallop, Bay Scallop, Blue Eyed Scallop
Common Names: Scallop, Bay Scallop,
BlueArgopecten
Eyed Scallop
irradians
Scientific Name:
Scientific Name: Argopecten irradians
Fun Facts: Scallops are rare jewels of the bay. They once disappeared from
the bay for thirty years but have recently started living in Sarasota Bay
once again. It is illegal to harvest this tasty treat. Scallops are known for
their bright blue “eyes” which are found along the rim of the Scallop,
underneath its shell. Although these “eyes” don’t produce images, they
detect different light intensities. Scallops are especially important to our
bay because they are good indicators of the health of our bay, the more the
better!
Fun Facts: Scallops are rare jewels of the bay. They once disappeared from
the bay for thirty years but have recently started living in Sarasota Bay
once again. It is illegal to harvest this tasty treat. Scallops are known for
their bright blue “eyes” which are
found
the
rim of the Scallop,
Image
courtesy of;along
Mote Marine
Laboratory
underneath its shell. Although these “eyes” don’t produce images, they
detect different light intensities. Scallops are especially important to our
bay because they are good indicators of the health of our bay, the more the
better!
Image courtesy
of; Mote
Marine
Laboratory
Bottom
image courtesy
of Mote
Marine
Laboratory
CommonNames:
Names:Oysters,
Oysters,Eastern
EasternOyster
Oyster
Common
Crassostreavirginica
virginica
ScientificName:
Name:Crassostrea
Scientific
Common Names: Oysters, Easte
Scientific Name: Crassostrea vi
Fun
FunFacts:
Facts:Oysters
Oystersare
arefound
foundmainly
mainlyinintwo
twosettings,
settings,attached
attachedon
onhard
hard
surfaces,
surfaces,such
suchas
asdocks
docksand
andsea
seawalls,
walls,and
andininoyster
oysterbars
barsininthe
thebay.
bay.They
They
generally
generallylive
liveininlarge
largegroups
groupsand
andare
arenotorious
notoriousfor
fortheir
theirrazor
razorsharp
sharpedges
edges
that
thatare
areknown
knownto
toslice
sliceflesh.
flesh.Hidden
Hiddenwithin
withinthe
thesharp
sharphard
hardshells
shellsisisthe
the
delicious
deliciousmuscle
musclethat
thatmany
manyanimals,
animals,including
includinghumans,
humans,desire.
desire.
Image
Imagecourtesy
courtesyof;
of;Charlotte
CharlotteHarbor
HarborNational
NationalEstuary
EstuaryProgram
Program
Fun Facts: Oysters are found m
surfaces, such as docks and sea w
Common Name: Sun Ray, Sun Ray Venus Clam
Scientific Name: Macrocallista nimbosa
Fun Facts: This bivalve has a distinctive pattern reminiscent of the rays of
the setting sun. Sun Rays can be found buried in sandbars off the beaches
and in the bay. They are considered edible but have become somewhat rare.
Common Name: Pen Shell
Scientific Name: Atrina seminude/Atrina rigida
Fun Facts: The fan-shaped Pen Shell is a bivalve, with 2 shells that have
thin walls. It buries its point deep in the sand with just a bit of the wider
top protruding. The rough, spiny exterior of the shells help anchor it in the
sand. The spines are very sharp and can cut fingers or feet if stepped on.
The muscle is edible.
Common Name: Crown Conch, Florida Crown Conch, King’s Crown
Scientific Name: Melongena corona
Fun Facts: The Crown Conch received its name because many will have large
spines on the shell. It is easy to confuse this predatory snail with the
Florida Fighting conch, Strombus alatus, unless the shell is cleaned. This
particular shell is covered with a slimy layer of algae.
Common Name: Crown Conch Egg Case
Scientific Name: Melongena species
Fun Facts: Different mollusks lay different types of egg casings that can
often be found attached to rocks and washed up on the shore. These are the
egg casings of the Florida Crown Conch. Each of the discs contains several
eggs that go through multiple life stages to develop into a tiny Crown Conch
before being released from the disc into the water.
Common Name: Lightning Whelk, Left Handed Whelk
Scientific Name: Busycon contrarium
Fun Facts: Whelks are familiar shallow-water dwellers in the Gulf of
Mexico. There are several species found in southwest Florida, including
Lightning, Knobbed, Channeled and Pear Whelks. The Lightning Whelk is the
most common. All are carnivorous gastropods, feeding on bivalves that they
pry open using the edge of their own shell as a wedge.
Common Name: Lightning Whelk, Left Handed Whelk
Scientific Name: Busycon contrarium
Fun Facts: Of the several species of whelks in southwest Florida, the
Lightning Whelk is easily distinguished from the others because when you
hold one in your hand, top up, facing the opening, it opens to your left. The
other species open to the right. Early native people used whelks for food,
tools and decorations. Whelks shaped into artifacts for use as hammers,
drills, and fishing net gauges can be found near prehistoric community
centers. This type of whelk can grow to over a foot in length!
Common
Common Name:
Name:Whelk
WhelkEgg
EggCasing
Casing
Busyconspecies
species
Scientific
Scientific Name:
Name: Busycon
Fun
Fun Facts:
Facts:Whelk
Whelkeggs
eggsare
arelaid
laidin
inintricately
intricatelyspiraled
spiraledstrings
stringsof
ofegg
eggcapsules
capsules
that
thatresemble
resemblethe
thecord
cordof
ofan
anold-fashioned
old-fashionedhair
hairdryer.
dryer.Each
Eachcapsule
capsulehouses
houses
100
100--200
200eggs
eggsthat
thatgo
gothrough
throughseveral
severalstages
stagesbefore
beforedeveloping
developinginto
intotiny
tiny
whelks
whelkswithin
withinthe
theegg
eggcase.
case.The
Thewhelks
whelksescape
escapeby
bypunching
punchingholes
holesin
inthe
thecase
case
and
andbegin
begintheir
theirlife
lifein
inthe
theopen
openestuary.
estuary.
Image
Imagecourtesy
courtesyof;
of;Charlotte
CharlotteHarbor
HarborNational
NationalEstuary
EstuaryProgram
Program
Common Name: Horse Conch
Scientific Name: Pleuroploca gigantea
Fun Facts: Horse Conchs have been the official Florida state shell since
1969. They aren’t really conchs but are related to tulip snails. They are the
largest marine snail in Florida’s waters and can grow quite large, exceeding
one foot in length. In contrast to the whelk, the Horse Conch has a rich
brown coloration to its shell, and a distinctive spiral point at the top of its
shell.
Common Name: Tulip Snail/True Tulip
Scientific Name: Fasciolaria tulipa
Fun Facts: Both True Tulip and Banded Tulip snails are found in sandy mud
and seagrass in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The name comes
from the shape of the shell, which is said to resemble a closed tulip, with a
slender tapered tip. The True Tulip (3-7") is larger than the Banded Tulip
(2-4"). The color patterns of both species vary. However, in general, the
True Tulip has muted browns and grays with indistinct stripes while the
Banded Tulip is often more colorful with shiny blue-green or gray bands and
distinct brown stripes whirling around the shell.
Common Names: Shark Eye, Moon Snail, Atlantic Moon Snail
Scientific Name: Polinices duplicatus
Fun Facts: Shark Eye shells generally are found empty and washed up on
beaches. The live animals spend most of their time in the water, under the
sand where they plow along searching for bivalves to eat. The snails eat
them by drilling a hole into the shell and sucking out the muscle inside. This
is one reason why shells can be found on the beach with small holes in them.
Common
Common Names:
Names:Shark
SharkEye/Moon
Eye/MoonSnail
SnailCollar
Collar
Scientific
Scientific Name:
Name: Snail
Snailorigin
originisisunknown
unknown
Common Names: Shark Eye/Mo
Scientific Name: Snail origin is
Fun
Fun Facts:
Facts:Shark
SharkEye/Moon
Eye/MoonSnails
Snailslay
laytheir
theireggs
eggsin
ingelatinous
gelatinoussheets
sheets
wrapped
wrappedaround
aroundthe
theparent
parentshell,
shell,forming
formingaa"collar"
"collar"that
thatbecomes
becomescovered
covered
with
withsand.
sand.The
Theegg
egg"collar"
"collar"looks
lookslike
likeaaring
ringof
ofsoft
softtan
tanplastic
plasticfound
foundon
onthe
the
near
nearshore
shoreocean
oceanbottom.
bottom. Each
Eachsnail
snailspecies
specieshas
hasisisown
ownshaped
shapedegg
egg"collar,”
"collar,”
which
whichcontains
containsthousands
thousandsof
ofeggs
eggseach.
each.The
Theeggs
eggsdevelop
developinto
intolarvae
larvaeinside
inside
the
the"collar"
"collar"before
beforehatching
hatchingand
andfloating
floatingaway.
away.
Image
Imagecourtesy
courtesyof;
of;Charlotte
CharlotteHarbor
HarborNational
NationalEstuary
EstuaryProgram
Program
Fun Facts: Shark Eye/Moon Sn
wrapped around the parent shel
with sand. The egg "collar" looks
Common
Common Names:
Names:Spotted
SpottedSea
SeaHare,
Hare,Inkfish
Inkfish
Aplysiadactylomela
dactylomela
Scientific
Scientific Name:
Name:Aplysia
Fun
Fun Facts:
Facts:Sea
SeaHares
Haresare
aresurface
surfaceswimmers
swimmersand
andcan
canbeen
beenseen
seenon
onsand
sandbars
bars
at
atlow
lowtide.
tide.Sea
SeaHares
Haresare
aresometimes
sometimescalled
calledInkfish
Inkfishbecause
becausethey
theywill
willsquirt
squirt
purple/black
purple/blackink
inkwhen
whenalarmed.
alarmed.Spotted
SpottedSea
SeaHares
Haresare
arecommon
commonin
inSouth
South
Florida
Floridain
inthe
thespring
springwhen
whenthey
theycome
comeinto
intoshallow
shallowwater
waterto
tolay
laytheir
theireggs
eggs
that
thatcan
cannumber
numberover
overeighty
eightymillion.
million.They
Theyare
areherbivores
herbivoresand
andeat
eatalgae.
algae.
Image
Imagecourtesy
courtesyof;
of;Florida
FloridaFish
Fishand
andWildlife
WildlifeCommission
Commission––Image
ImageCredit:
Credit:Don
DonDemaria
Demaria
Common Name: Hermit Crab
Scientific Name: Pagurus species
Fun Facts: The Hermit Crab, shown here, is the “squatter” of the bay taking
refuge in an empty whelk shell. The Hermit Crab will carry this shell on its
back as its home. As the Hermit Crab grows, it will vacate this shell and
upscaleHermit
to larger quarters.
n Name:
Crab Hermit Crabs are decapods, with 5 pairs of legs
and claws, but they aren't true crabs. There are over 500 species of Hermit
Pagurus species
fic Name:
Crab with the Long-Clawed Hermit being common in shallow waters all along
the Atlantic and Gulf Coast.
cts: The Hermit Crab, shown here, is the “squatter” of the b
in an empty whelk shell. The Hermit Crab will carry this shel
s its home. As the Hermit Crab grows, it will vacate this shel
to larger quarters. Hermit Crabs are decapods, with 5 pairs
ws, but they aren't true crabs. There are over 500 species o
ith the Long-Clawed Hermit being common in shallow waters
antic and Gulf Coast.
Common
Common Name:
Name:Fiddler
FiddlerCrab
Crab
Scientific
Scientific Name:
Name: Uca
Ucapugilator
pugilator
Common Name: Fiddler Crab
Scientific Name: Uca pugilator
Fun
Fun Facts:
Facts:Fiddler
FiddlerCrabs
Crabscan
canoften
oftenbe
befound
foundon
onthe
theseashore
seashorescurrying
scurryingto
to
their
theirholes
holesthat
thatpuncture
puncturethe
thebeach.
beach.Male
MaleFiddler
FiddlerCrabs
Crabsare
arevery
verydistinctive
distinctive
because
becausethey
theyhave
haveone
onelarge
largeclaw
claw(resembling
(resemblingaafiddle)
fiddle)and
andone
onesmall
smallone.
one.
Image
Imagecourtesy
courtesyof;
of;Charlotte
CharlotteHarbor
HarborNational
NationalEstuary
EstuaryProgram
Program
Fun Facts: Fiddler Crabs can often be
their holes that puncture the beach. Ma
because they have one large claw (resem
Image courtesy of; Charlotte Harbor National E
Common Name: Blue Crab
Scientific Name: Callinectes sapidus
Fun Facts: Blue Crabs are crustaceans with 10 legs, the back pair of which
is paddle-shaped and used for swimming. They can be easily identified by
their bright blue colors along the claws and leg joints. They shed their
exoskeleton when it gets too small and spawn during the summer in
Southwest Florida. They are scavengers and eat oysters and clams, as well as
seagrass. Their predators include fish such as drum, and humans. Blue Crabs
are popular as an important recreational and commercial species in Florida.
Common Name: Derelict Crab Trap
Scientific Name: NA
Fun Facts: Our bays and grass flats are littered with derelict crab traps
and other potentially dangerous debris. Here rooted alga have taken up a
perch.
Common Name: Spider Crab
Scientific Name: Libnia emarginata
Fun Facts: There are three species of spider crabs in Florida that are very
similar in appearance. Spider Crabs frequent the seagrass and mud flats,
feeding on detritus and small morsels plucked from the bottom. Like most
other crabs, they tend to run away from humans, and don’t hold their ground
to fight.
Common Name: Stone Crab, Florida Stone Crab
Scientific Name: Menippe mercenaria
Fun Facts: Stone Crabs are a delicacy, and can only be harvested during
certain times, and according to specific rules. Stone Crabs hide under rocks
and shells and burrow into holes in the flats, and are seldom seen. Stone
Crabs are voracious predators and feed on bivalves, other crustaceans and
even fish. They tend to hold their ground to defend their territory. They
have powerful claws with tenacious pinchers that can crush a finger. If you
don’t bother them, they won’t bother you!
Common Name:
Name:Horseshoe
HorseshoeCrab
Crab
Common
Limuluspolyphenus
polyphenus
Scientific Name:
Name:Limulus
Scientific
Common Name: Horseshoe Crab
Scientific Name: Limulus polyphenus
Fun
Fun Facts:
Facts:AAmost
mostprimitive
primitivecreature,
creature,the
theHorseshoe
HorseshoeCrab
Crabisisas
asancient
ancientas
as
dinosaurs.
dinosaurs.They
Theyaren’t
aren’treally
reallycrabs,
crabs,but
butrelatives
relativesof
ofland
landspiders.
spiders. Their
Theirtail
tail
isn’t
isn’taaweapon,
weapon,but
butisisused
usedas
asaarudder
rudderfor
forsteering
steeringand
andrighting
rightingthe
theanimal
animalifif
ititgets
getsturned
turnedover
overonto
ontoits
itsback.
back.The
Thefemales
femalesare
arelarger
largerthan
thanthe
themales
malesand
and
they
theyshed
shedtheir
theirouter
outerexoskeleton
exoskeletonwhen
whenthey
theyoutgrow
outgrowit.
it.Empty
Emptymolts
moltsare
are
often
oftenfound
foundwashed
washedup
upon
onthe
theshore.
shore.They
Theyhave
haveblue
blueblood
bloodthat
thatcontains
contains
copper,
copper,unlike
unlikeours,
ours,which
whichcontains
containsiron.
iron.Horseshoe
HorseshoeCrab
Crabblood
bloodisisused
usedin
in
scientific
scientificresearch
researchon
onblood
bloodand
andhemoglobin.
hemoglobin.This
Thisspecies
speciesisismost
mostcommonly
commonly
found
foundin
inthe
theGulf
Gulfof
ofMexico
Mexicoand
andthe
theNorthern
NorthernAtlantic.
Atlantic.
Fun Facts: A most primitive creature, the
dinosaurs. They aren’t really crabs, but rel
isn’t a weapon, but is used as a rudder for
Image
Imagecourtesy
courtesyof;
of;Charlotte
CharlotteHarbor
HarborNational
NationalEstuary
EstuaryProgram
Program
it gets turned over onto its back. The fema
they shed their outer exoskeleton when th
Common Name: Marine Worm Eggs
Scientific Name: Unknown
Fun Facts: Egg casings such as these resemble a large string of mucus
(feels like it too… eww). The scientific name that describes marine worms is
Polychaeta.
Common Name: Bird Bones
Scientific Name: Bird origin unknown
Fun Facts: This bony structure appears to be part of the skull of a bird.
Mystery bones are commonly found on the flats and beaches.
Common Name: Fishing Tackle
Scientific Name: Not Applicable
Fun Facts: Forsaken fishing tackle like these pose a serious threat to
marine life. Birds are especially threatened by monofilament (fishing line) as
they can become entangled in it, limiting their mobility. Without help, they
often die.
Common Name: Sea Turtle Nest
Scientific Name: The type of turtle is unknown
Fun Facts: Here is a marked Sea Turtle nest. Female turtles will come
ashore at night and build a nest for their eggs. After the eggs are laid, the
females will retreat into the ocean, never to see their young again.
Approximately 45-75 days later the young turtles hatch and make a mad
dash to the ocean. There are five species of Sea Turtles found in Florida.
Loggerheads (Caretta caretta) are the most common.
Common Name:
Name:Dolphin,
Dolphin,Bottlenose
BottlenoseDolphin
Dolphin
Common
Scientific Name:
Name: Tursiops
Scientific
Tursiopstruncatus
truncatus
Common Name: Dolphin, Bottlenos
Scientific Name: Tursiops trunca
Fun
Fun Facts:
Facts: Dolphins
Dolphinsare
areone
oneof
ofthe
thefavorite
favoriteanimals
animalsin
inthe
thebay.
bay.Mote
MoteMaine
Maine
Laboratory
Laboratoryhas
hasconducted
conductedthe
thelongest
longestcontinuous
continuousstudy
studyof
ofdolphins
dolphinsin
inthe
the
world.
world.Visit
Visithttp://www.mote.org/
http://www.mote.org/to
tolearn
learnmore.
more.
Image
Imagecourtesy
courtesyof;
of;Charlotte
CharlotteHarbor
HarborNational
NationalEstuary
EstuaryProgram
Program
Fun Facts: Dolphins are one of th
Laboratory has conducted the lon
Common Names:
Names:Manatee
Manatee(West
(WestIndian
IndianManatee…commonly
Manatee…commonlyfound
foundhere)
here)
Common
Trichechusmanatus
manatus
Scientific Name:
Name:Trichechus
Scientific
Common Names: Manatee (West I
Scientific Name: Trichechus mana
Fun
Fun Facts:
Facts: Manatees
Manateesare
arefound
foundthroughout
throughoutour
ourbays,
bays,but
butsurface
surface
infrequently
infrequentlyand
andonly
onlylong
longenough
enoughto
togulp
gulpsome
someair
airas
asthey
theyare
aremammals
mammalsthat
that
breathe
breathethrough
throughlungs.
lungs.If
Ifyou
youare
arelucky
luckyyou
youmay
maysee
seeits
itsarched
archedback
backand
and
broad
broadtail
tailas
asititheads
headsback
backunder
underwater.
water.While
Whilemanatees
manateesoften
oftentravel
travelalone,
alone,
they
theycan
canbe
beseen
seenin
inpods
podsfrom
fromtime
timeto
totime
timeand
andtend
tendto
tocongregate
congregatein
inareas
areas
of
ofwarm
warmwater
waterduring
duringcold
coldwinter
wintermonths.
months.Manatees
Manateesspend
spendtheir
theirdays
days
cruising
cruisingthrough
throughseagrass
seagrassmeadows
meadowsmunching
munchingon
onthe
thegrasses
grassesand
andnapping,
napping,but
but
can
canalso
alsobe
beseen
seenmoving
movingalong
alongshorelines
shorelinesand
andseawalls.
seawalls.
Fun Facts: Manatees are found th
infrequently and only long enough t
breathe through lungs. If you are
Image
Imagecourtesy
courtesyof;
of;Charlotte
CharlotteHarbor
HarborNational
NationalEstuary
EstuaryProgram
Program
Common
Name:
Happy
Volunteer
Common
Name:
Happy
Volunteer
Homo
Homo
sapiens
sapiens
Scientific
Scientific
Name:
Name:
FunFun
Facts:
Facts:A healthy
A healthy
baybay
is everybody’s
is everybody’s
business.
business.
Volunteers
Volunteers
help
help
thethe
baybay
in many
in many
different
different
ways.
ways.
Common
Common
Name:
Name:
PropProp
Scars
Scars
Scientific
Scientific
Name:
Name:
Not Not
Applicable
Applicable
Fun Fun
Facts:
Facts:
Although
Although
this this
may may
looklook
like like
a crop
a crop
circle
circle
in the
in the
seagrass
seagrass
bed,bed,
these
these
markings
markings
are definitely
are definitely
of human
of human
origin.
origin.
Boaters
Boaters
thatthat
findfind
themselves
themselves
in water
in water
that’s
that’s
a little
a little
too shallow
too shallow
leave
leave
a scar
a scar
fromfrom
theirtheir
propeller
propeller
thatthat
often
often
takes
takes
years
years
to heal.
to heal.
Acknowledgements
Amanda Dominguez, Environmental Specialist, Sarasota County
Environmental Utilities
Project Creator/Advisor –– Thanks for all the excellent guidance and
encouragement!
Emily R. Hall, Ph. D, Staff Scientist, Chemical Ecology, and Jim K. Culter,
Manager, Benthic Ecology Program, Mote Marine Laboratory
For review and scientific identification
Judy Ott, B.S., M.S., Program Scientist, Charlotte Harbor National Estuary
Program
For review and scientific identification
Sarasota Bay Watch, Sarasota Bay Watch is a 501c3 nonprofit organization
committed to protecting and restoring Sarasota Bay's ecosystem through
community education and citizen participation. ““A Healthy Bay Is
Everybody’’s Business”” http://sarasotabaywatch.org/
Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program:
Working together to protect the natural environment from Venice to Bonita
Springs to Winter Haven
The Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program is a partnership that
protects the estuaries from Venice to Estero Bay. This partnership gives
citizens, elected officials, resource managers, and commercial and
recreational resource users in the 4,700-square-mile study area a voice to
address diverse resource management concerns, including fish and wildlife
habitat loss, water quality and flow and stewardship. The watershed in the
study area includes all or portions of Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, Manatee,
Polk, Hardee and DeSoto counties.
Contact information includes the program website –– www.CHNEP.org –– and
the program phone number ––239/338-2556 ext 240 or toll free 866/8355785 ext 240.
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