enlarged
moulted shells of
Emerita analoga
Guide to the Common
Animal and Seaweed Debris
FOUND ON SANDY BEACHES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Robert Perry
Malibu High School
Text and Photography ©2012
All Rights Reserved
name__________________________________________________________period____
rev. 2012-08
page 1
TABLE
of
CONTENTS
t axonomic group:
page:
a. KINGDOM PLANTAE
NOTE: Seaweeds do not live on sand beaches, but do
wash ashore from nearby rocky areas.
DIVISION ANGIOPHYTA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DIVISION CHLOROPHYTA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DIVISION PHAEOPHYTA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DIVISION RHODOPHYTA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3
3
4
6
b. KINGDOM ANIMALIA
NOTE: Some animal debris washes in from rocky areas.
JELLIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PHYLUM CNIDARIA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .
PHYLUM ARTHROPODA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PHYLUM MOLLUSCA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PHYLUM ECHINODERMATA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PHYLUM CHORDATA (fishes). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8
9
10
12
15
16
Illustration of the zonation of sand subtidal organisms. . . . . . . .
at Zuma Beach (from Morin, et al)
17
Original images ©2012 Robert Perry
(except as noted otherwise)
All Rights Reserved
Availiable for non-profit, face to face, educational purposes only.
page 2
KINGDOM PLANTAE:
DIVISION ANGIOPHYTA
(mostly terrestrial; flowering plants - roots, stems, leaves, flowers, seeds)
Zostera = showing roots
1.
2.
Phyllospadix - showing flowers
Eel Grass
Zostera marina
Surf Grass
Phyllospadix toreyii
DIVISION CHLOROPHYTA
(Only a few species live in shallow ocean waters)
Green algae
Ulva sp.
Sea Lettuce
Ulva sp.
“Dead Man’s Fingers”
Codium fragile
page 3
DIVISION PHAEOPHYTA
(“brown algae,” the largest plants in the sea; the kelps)
kelp canopy
apical fronds
stipes
fronds
sporophylls
holdfast
Giant Kelp
Macrocystis pyrifera
Macrocystis - holdfast on rock
Macrocystis - stipes with
fronds
Macrocystis - frond
Macrocystis - fastest growing
apical fronds
Macrocystis - reproductive
sporophylls
page 4
DIVISION PHAEOPHYTA
(“brown algae,” the largest plants in the sea; the kelps)
Canopy of growing
bull kelp in N.California
Zuma debris
bull kelp
Two
specimens side by side
Bull Kelp or Bull whip kelp
Nereocystis lutkeana
Easily recognized and identified by the huge gas bladder (or pneumatocyst). This grows in deep water
around Malibu and the Channel Islands, but is far more abundant in northern California and further north.
page 5
DIVISION PHAEOPHYTA - continued
(“brown algae,” the largest plants in the sea; the kelps)
Ribbon Kelp
Egregia sp.
Flat “ribbon”
down the middle.
Cystoseira top
Cystoseira base
Bladder Chain Kelp
Cystoseira osmundacea
Sargassum sp.
“Sea Grapes”
(bladders single, NOT in a chain)
page 6
DIVISION RHODOPHYTA
(“red algae,” medium sized reddish seaweeds)
Callophyllis sp.
Calcified Red Algae
(pink and hard like rocks from
their calcium carbonate)
Chondracanthus exasperatus
(formerly called Gigartina exasperata)
Microcladia sp.
Pterocladia sp.
page 7
KINGDOM ANIMALIA:
JELLIES - GELATINOUS ANIMALS
The plankton is full of large, transparent gelatinous animals or “jellies” which represent many different yet unrelated phyla.
When the tides or currents move in the right direction we find these remarkable creatures washed ashore on our beaches.
PHYLUM CNIDARIA - Medusae (true jellyfish and colonial jellyfish)
Moon Jelly
Aurelia aurita
Purple Sailor
(aka,by-the-wind sailor)
Velella velella
Purple Jelly
Chrysaora colorata
RARE - Last one seen at Zuma in 2012
PHYLUM CTENOPHORA
comb jellies (aka, sea gooseberries)
Sea gooseberries
Pleurobranchia bachei
(spherical, ~ 1cm)
Salpa
fusiformis
PHYLUM CHORDATA- SUBPHYLUM
UROCHORDATA - Salps
Pyrosoma
atlanticum
Salpa maxima
Salpa
fusiformis
page 8
KINGDOM ANIMALIA:
PHYLUM CNIDARIA - CLASS HYDROZOA - Hydroid colonies.
whole colony view
“Ostrich Plume” Hydroid
Aglaophenia latirostris
close up view
PHYLUM CNIDARIA - CLASS ANTHOZOA - Sea Fans
NOTE: VERY RARELY OBSERVED
whole colony view
Brown Sea Fan
Muricea fruticosa
close up view
NOTE:
Both of the above colonial animals superficially look like plants. If you observe
them closely, or use a dissecting microscope, the individual animals (polyps)
that make up the colony are visible. Not only are these NOT plants, but they
are carnivorous animals! (they feed on zooplankton).
page 9
PHYLUM ARTHROPODA - CLASS CRUSTACEA
( Barnacles, crabs, shrimps, lobsters, amphipods, isopods, etc )
Sub-class Ciripedia - Barnacles:
Common Barnacles
Balanus sp.
(In this photo, attached to Dendraster)
Pelagic “stalked” Barnacles
Lepas sp.
(In this photo, attached to drift Macrocystis)
Section Anomura - Sand Crabs
Emerita analoga
Grey or “mole” sand crab
Emerita analoga
(Like all crustaceans, it sheds its
exoskeleton to grow. These “moults” are
bleached white by the sun.)
BY FAR THE MOST ABUNDANT SPECIES
OF THE THREE KINDS OF SAND CRABS
ON OUR SANDY BEACHES.
THREE SPECIES OF
SAND CRABS.
Emerita is the most common.
White Sand Crab
Lepidopa myops
VERY VERY UNCOMMON
Spiny Sand Crab
Blepharipoda occidentalis
(Much larger than Emerita,
and not as abundant)
Emerita
analoga
page 10
PHYLUM ARTHROPODA - CLASS CRUSTACEA
CONTINUED
Order Decapoda - “true” Crabs:
The “shells” of these crabs wash ashore infrequently.
“Cancer” Crab
Romaleon antennarius
(formerly Cancer
antennarius)
Kelp Crab
Pugettia producta
California Spiny Lobster
Panulirus interruptus
page 11
PHYLUM MOLLUSCA
PHYLUM MOLLUSCA- Class GASTROPODA: Mollusks with one shell (snails)
Purple Olive
Olivella biplicata
(The “money” of the Chumash)
Worm Shells (or tube snails)
Serpulorbis squamigerus
California Cone
Conus californicus
(A poisonous, carnivorous snail)
Slipper Shell
Crepidula fornicata
Volcano Limpet
Fissurella volcano
Norris’ Turban or “Kelp Snail”
Norrisia norrisii
ventral
Chestnut Cowry
Cypraea spadicea
dorsal
Moon Snail
Polinices lewisii
(A carnivore that drills holes in other
mollusks and eats them)
page 12
PHYLUM MOLLUSCA (continued)
PHYLUM MOLLUSCA- Class BIVALVIA: Mollusks with two shells (clams, scallops, mussels, etc)
Bean Clam
Donax gouldii
THESE ARE THE TWO
MOST COMMON SANDY
BEACH BIVALVES
Pismo clam
Tivela stultorum
Jewel box Clam
Chama arcana
California Mussel
Mytilus californianus
page 13
PHYLUM MOLLUSCA - continued
PHYLUM MOLLUSCA- Class BIVALVIA: Mollusks with two shells - continued
Purple-hinged or Giant Rock Scallop
Crassidoma gigantea
Heart Cockle
Trachycardium quadragenarium
(note spiny ridges on outer surface)
Littleneck Clam
Protothaca staminea
Pacific Calico Scallop
Argopecten ventricosus
(normal shell colors vary)
Sand Clam
Macoma secta
(a very very thin, white shell)
Rough Littleneck
Protothaca laciniata
page 14
PHYLUM ECHINODERMATA
(Animals with external spines, 5-part symmetry, and a water vascular system of locomotion)
ANUS
MOUTH
aboral view
oral view
Western Sand Dollar
Dendraster excentricus
above: tests from deceased
animals found on beach.
right: $and Dollar beds
showing subtidal population
of live animals.
(See diagram on last page of this
booklet for more about subtidal
zonation of sand beaches)
©Robert Perry - Dive Log 797
MOUTH
ANUS
oral view
aboral view
Purple Sea Urchin
Stongylocentrotus purpuratus
( tests from deceased animals found on beach)
page 15
PHYLUM CHORDATA
PHYLUM CHORDATA - SUBPHYLUM VERTEBRATA - fishes
CLASS CHONDRICHTHYES - sharks
Thornback
Platyrhinoides triseriata
Shovelnose
Rhinobatos productus
CLASS OSTEICHTHYES - modern, bony fishes
Leopard Shark
Triakis semifasciata
Kelp Pipefish
Sygnathus californiensis
Barred Surfperch
Amphistichus argenteus
Walleye Surfperch
Hyperprosopon argenteum
Yellowfin Croaker
Umbrina roncador
page 16
page 17
SUBTIDAL ZONATION AT ZUMA BEACH
from Morin, Kastendiek, Harrington & Davis, Organisms of a Subtidal Sand Community in Southern Calfornia, Bull. So. Calif Acad.Sci, 87(1), 1988.