Barnacle - Monterey Bay Aquarium · Barnacle Brown turban snail ... small animals that get too close; then the ... sea urchin larva, crab larva, snail larva, copepod.)

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Critter Cards - Rocky Shore

Brown turban snail

California mussel

Barnacle

Brown turban snailTegula brunnea [size: to 1 in. (2.5 cm)]

At low tide, the brown turban snail stays underwater or low on the shore. The turban snailscrapes algae with its filelike tongue, or radula.One lick from this snail can leave scrape markson kelp.

If a wave flips a snail upside-down, it can pick uppebbles with its foot. By rolling with the addedweight, the snail can turn right-side-up again.

BarnacleBalanus glandula [size: to 1 in. (2.5 cm)]

A young barnacle cruises at sea during its firstweeks. When it's ready to settle down, thebarnacle glues its head to a rock. Once attached,it changes into a juvenile barnacle, a miniature ofan adult. Then each builds its own fortress—anodd-shaped limestone shell with a trap door in theceiling. As sea water rushes by, the barnacle's legskick bits of food down into its mouth.

Its shell closes tight at low tide, so the barnaclestays moist. It makes a juicy meal for a shorebirdwith a prying beak.

California musselMytilus californianus [size: to 5 in. (13 cm)]

Mussels crowd together on wave-swept rocks. Tohang on to the rocks and each other, musselsmake strong threads that look like plastic and stickbetter than superglue.

A mussel eats by filtering tiny plants and animalsfrom the water. To collect enough food to survive,a mussel has to filter two to three quarts of wateran hour.

1 - 4



Lined shore crab

Ochre star

Hermit crab

Lined shore crabPachygrapsus crassipes [size: to 2 in. (5 cm)]

The shore crab dances sideways down to the seaand then back up over the rocks. Using tiny cupson its pincers, the crab scrapes small plants off therock to eat.

This crab is so flat, it can hide in cracks in therocks. If a hungry gull grabs the shore crab's leg,the crab can shed the captured limb and dashaway. In time, a new leg will grow back.

Hermit crabPagurus samuelis [size: to 1 in. (2.5 cm)]

A hermit crab wears an empty snail shell toprotect its soft body. The back legs hold the shellon tight. As the crab grows, it needs bigger shells.One hermit crab will even steal a good shell fromanother crab.

Though a hermit crab threatens and fights with itslarge claws, it's not a hunter. This crab eatsseaweeds and dead animals.

Ochre starPisaster ochraceus [size: to 1 ft. (30 cm)]

This sea star has hundreds of tiny suction-cup feetunder each arm that help it stick to rocks. The seastar is a real loafer; it clings motionless on a rockfor weeks.

Even a hungry sea star isn't hasty. Slow andsteady, its feet can pry apart a mussel. When themussel's two shells open, the sea star slides itsstomach between the shells to digest the animalinside.

2 - 4



Red octopus

Sea anemone

Purple sea urchin

Red octopusOctopus rubescens [size: to 20 in. (50 cm)]

Like magic, this octopus can change its color andshape in a flash. It can also squeeze through smallholes to hide in caves or under rocks.

A hiding octopus keeps out of danger. And aquick armful of suckers can surprise a crab or fish.The octopus's body is soft except for a parrotlikebeak that's sharp enough to kill and tear up food.

Purple sea urchinStrongylocentrotus purpuratus [size: to 4 in. (10 cm)]

Using their spines and teeth, urchins burrowslowly into solid rock. Because they grow as theydig, some end up trapped in holes, too big toleave.

Between the hard spines, an urchin has hundredsof tube feet. Its soft tube feet are always busy:some hold the urchin onto the rock; others movekelp to the urchin's greedy mouth.

Sea anemoneAnthopleura elegantissima [size: to 10 in. (25 cm)]

The sea anemone looks like a flower on a thick,bumpy stalk, but it's really an animal. The floweryparts are tentacles with stingers. The stingers zapsmall animals that get too close; then theanemone swallows them whole.

At low tide, the anemone closes up. Bits of shellstuck to the bumpy flesh help keep the seaanemone from drying out.

3 - 4



Sea slug

Tidepool sculpin

Sea lettuce

Sea slugPhidiana crassicornis [size: to 3 in. (8 cm)]

This blue-and-orange sea slug is a cruel beauty. Ittastes terrible and it has stingers. Maybe thebright colors warn other animals, "Don't messwith me!"

This sea slug eats all kinds of animals, some small,some large, some already dead. When twohungry sea slugs meet, they may fight a terriblebattle to the death. The loser becomes thebreakfast of champions.

Sea lettuceUlva sp. [size: to 8 in. (20 cm)]

Sea lettuce is as green as lettuce from land, butit's only two cell-layers thick. Although it's thinand fragile-looking, sea lettuce can survivepounding waves and drying sun.

These plants quickly overgrow bare rocks. Just asquickly, sea lettuce is gobbled up by snails andcrabs.

Tidepool sculpinOligocottus maculosus [size: to 8 in. (20 cm)]

A tidepool sculpin is hard to see because its colorsmatch the rocks and plants it lives on. A sculpinon sea lettuce won't look like one living on grayrocks.

At high tide, this fish travels about looking forsmall animals to eat. At low tide, it hurries backto its tide pool. Even if it explores nearby pools,a sculpin can find its way back home.

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Critter Cards - Sandy Shore

Beach hopper

Barred surfperch

Barred surfperchAmphistichus argenteus [size: to 17 in. (43 cm)]

Barred surfperch usually live in or just beyond thewaves, but also venture into waters as deep as240 ft. (73 m). Instead of releasing eggs,surfperches give birth to live young.

Barred surfperch feed on sand crabs, clams andother invertebrates. Fishermen catch and eatsurfperches, as do seals and larger fishes.

Beach hopperOrchestoidea californiana [size: to 1.1 in. (2.8 cm)]

Beach hoppers live high on the beach, out ofreach of the waves. They burrow during the dayto keep cool and moist and to hide from hungryshorebirds. At night, they come out and hopabout in search of food.

Beach hoppers eat the seaweed that washes up on the beach.

By-the-wind sailor

By-the-wind sailorVelella velella [size: to 3 in. (7.6 cm)]

By-the-wind sailors usually live far out to sea, butmany get blown ashore in the spring. The angleof the sail may determine where they land. Thosewhose sails angle to the left are blown to ourcoast, while right-angled ones sail toward Japan.

These jelly relatives use their tentacles to catchpassing plankton.


Critter Cards - Sandy Beach

Drift seaweed

Drift seaweed

Rough waves rip seaweed from offshore rocks andtoss it onto beaches. Often these tangles bring inoffshore creatures that lived on the seaweed.

These seaweeds are the only large plants you'll seeon the beach, so they're centers of activity. Smallanimals like beach hoppers eat the decaying algaeand hide beneath it. Larger animals, likeshorebirds, come to hunt the smaller animals.

Moon snail

Olive snail

Olive snailOlivella biplicata [size: to 1 in. (2.5 cm)]

The olive snail plows through the sand just belowthe surface, leaving a furrow behind. Its smooth,streamlined shell helps it slip through the sand.To breathe, the snail sends a tube above the sand.

The olive snail eats dead animals and plants. Itmay also gather tiny food bits from the sand.

Moon snailPolinices lewisii [size: to 5 in. (13 cm)]

The moon snail plows slowly through the sand,hunting for clams. Finding one, the snailsurrounds the clam with its huge foot. It drills ahole in the shell, rasping with its filelike tongueand softening the shell with a special liquid.When the hole is finished, the snail eats the clam'ssoft insides.

Pismo clam

Plankton

Pismo clamTivela stultorum [size: to 6 in. (15 cm)]

Pismo clams dig into the sand near the surfzone. To dig, a clam pushes its foot downwardthrough the sand like a wedge. Then it anchorsthe foot and pulls the shell along after it.

Clams send a feeding tube above the sand. Theyinhale water through it, filtering out tiny plantsand animals called plankton.

Plankton

Plankton are plants and animals that drift onocean currents instead of swimming. Most aretiny; these pictures are many times larger thanthe actual organisms.

Plant plankton form the first link in many of theocean's food chains. Animal plankton eat thesetiny plants. Filter-feeders like clams and sandcrabs eat both kinds of plankton.

(Plant plankton, top row from left: two dinoflagellates,chain diatom, diatom. Animal plankton, bottom row:

sea urchin larva, crab larva, snail larva, copepod.)

Polychaete worm

Polychaete wormNephtys californiensis [size: to 12 in. (30 cm)]

This sandworm is similar to earthworms, but has arow of bristled flaps on each side. It burrowsthrough the beach sand. If a wave uncovers theworm, it quickly swims down and digs in again.This worm preys mostly on smaller sand-dwellers.



Sand crab

Sand crabEmerita analoga [size: to 1.4 in. (3.5 cm)]

Sand crabs live in the surf zone, following the tideup and down the beach. To keep from washingaway, they burrow tail-first into the sand.Burrowing also protects them from predators, likesurfperches and plovers.

To filter plankton from the water, a sand crabsends fringed antennae up from the sand intothe passing waves.

Sand dollar

Sand dollarDendraster excentricus [size: to 3 in. (7.6 cm)]

Sand dollars live half-buried in the sand justbeyond the waves. They stand on end when thewater is calm, but dig in during storms using theirshort spines. Young ones swallow heavy sand toweigh them down.

Sand dollars feed on plankton and small organicparticles found on the sand or in the water.



Snowy plover

Snowy ploverCharadrius alexandrinus [size: to 6.5 in. (16.5 cm)]

Snowy plovers skitter about on the dry upperbeach. They hollow out their nests right on thesand. This is safer than it might seem; both eggsand bird blend in so well, they're almostimpossible to see.

Plovers eat sand crabs, beach hoppers and otherinvertebrates. They hunt in quick spurts, stoppingto grab a bite, then darting off again.

Brown pelican

Bent-nosed clam

Brown pelicanPelecanus occidentalis [size: to 7 ft. wingspan (2 m)]

Thousands of pelicans visit Elkhorn Slough insummer and fall. In late fall, they migrate south toMexico and South America where they build saucer-shaped nests on the ground or in trees andraise two to three young.

In the 1960s, heavy use of the pesticide DDTnearly killed all the brown pelicans. Today, DDT isbanned in the United States. But its use in Mexicoand other countries along with habitat losswithin the pelican's range are still threats.

Bent-nosed clamMacoma nasuta [size: to 2.5 in. (6 cm)]

Using its muscular foot, this clam digs about sixinches down into the mud. It rocks back and forthas it digs, like a coin sinking in water. When itfinally settles, it lies horizontally, not vertically likemost clams.

To eat and breathe, it sticks a tube up to themud's surface. Like a vacuum cleaner, the clam sucks down tiny particles, mostly the remains ofplants and animals, along with sand and grit.Then it sorts the food from the muck.

Bat ray

Bat rayMyliobatis californica [size: to 6 ft. wide (1.8 m)]

Bat rays prey on clams, shrimp, worms and otherinvertebrates that live in the mud. Flapping theirwings to clear away mud, rays suck up their prey,crushing the shells with their strong jaws andhard, flat teeth.

In summer, bat rays enter sloughs and bayswhere they give birth to live young. It's a traitthey share with several other members of theshark family.


Critter Cards - Wetlands 1 - 4



Fat innkeeper worm

Fat innkeeper wormUrechis caupo [size: to 20 in. (51 cm)]

An innkeeper worm digs a U-shaped tunnel in themud. At one end, it attaches a mucous net that itsecretes from special glands. Slowly pulsing itsbody, the innkeeper pumps water through its tunnel. As water flows through, the net traps tinyplankton floating in the water.

When the net is full, the innkeeper eats both itand the trapped food. Worms, crabs and evengoby fish share the tunnel, eating anything theinnkeeper misses.

Great blue heron

Great blue heronArdea herodias [size: to 6 ft. wingspan (1.8 m)]

Great blue herons live year-round at the slough.They depend on the slough to eat, rest and raisetheir young. Look for them standing still inshallow water, quietly waiting to snatch and eatsmall fishes that swim by.

In early spring, great blue herons build nests inthe tops of trees. Made of twigs and leaves, eachnest shelters three to five bluish-green eggs. Boththe male and female incubate the eggs whichtake about two months to hatch.

Moon snailPolinices lewisii [size: to 5 in. (13 cm)]

The moon snail plows slowly through the sand,hunting for clams. Finding one, the snailsurrounds the clam with its huge foot. It drills ahole in the shell, rasping with its filelike tongueand softening the shell with a special liquid.When the hole is finished, the snail eats the clam'ssoft insides.

Moon snail



Pipefish with eelgrass

Pipefish with eelgrassSyngnathus leptorhynchus with Zostera marina [size: pipefish to 13 in. (33 cm); eelgrass to 3 ft. (91 cm)]

With its long and thin green body, a pipefishblends in well with the eelgrass blades it lives in.It even sways back and forth with the currents likeeelgrass does.

Eelgrass, unlike most flowering plants, lives withits roots in mud under the water. Its matted rootstrap sediments, helping to keep the mud in placeand providing a stable home for many animals.

Plankton





Plankton

Pickleweed

PickleweedSalicornia virginica [size: to 25 in. (63 cm)]

This plant can withstand salty conditions thatwould cause other plants to wither and die.Pickleweed draws the slough's saltwater into itsstems and stores the extra salt in the tips of thestems. In fall, the stems turn color, becoming anorange or rosy red. Then they wither and dropoff, taking the stored salt with them.



Red fox

Red foxVulpes vulpes [size: to 3.5 ft. (106 cm)]

A red fox stalks its prey at night, feeding onground-nesting birds, their eggs and smallanimals. During the day it returns to its home inthe uplands, a den dug down in the ground.

Many people are concerned about red foxes atElkhorn Slough. Unlike native gray foxes, red foxeswere brought to the slough by people. Withoutnatural predators, the red fox's population growsunchecked. And as red fox numbers grow,populations of its prey decline.

Skeleton shrimp

Skeleton shrimpCaprella californica [size: to 1.5 in. (4 cm)]

You have to look closely to find skeleton shrimp.Their small, clear, sticklike bodies blend in wellwith the eelgrass where they live. They cling tothe plants with three pairs of legs, and use theirclawlike "arms" for grabbing food, fending offpredators and cleaning themselves.

A skeleton shrimp eats whatever it can. It feeds onsmaller plants and animals and scavenges forother bits of food.

Sea hareAplysia californica [size: to 16 in. (41 cm)]

A sea hare glides along the muddy bottom,searching for algae to eat. With its filelike tongue,called a radula, it scrapes up its food, eatingnearly 10 percent of its body weight a day.

An adult sea hare is both a male and a female,but it must mate with another sea hare. Aftermating, it lays strings of greenish eggs that looklike spaghetti. Each string contains up to a millioneggs.Sea hare


Critter Cards - Kelp Forest

Bat star

Bat starAsterina miniata [size: to 8 in. (20 cm)]

Bat stars live on the kelp forest floor. They eatseaweeds and small animals, and scavenge deadanimals on the seafloor A bat star's stomachcomes out of its mouth and covers its food to eat.The stomach can feel around on the seafloor forbits of food.

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Blue rockfish

Blue rockfishSebastes mystinus [size: to 21 in. (53 cm)]

Schools of blue rockfish swim among the kelpplants. Sport fishers often catch these fish, butthey must be careful when they do: rock fisheshave poisonous spines on some of their fins.

Blue rockfish eat small floating animals, likeshrimp and jellies.

Brown turban snail

Brown turban snailTegula brunnea [size: to 1 in. (2.5 cm)]

Brown turban snails live on kelp plants, mostoften on the upper blades. Predators like the seastar live on the seafloor below, so the turban snailis safer up high in the canopy.

Kelp provides lunch as well as a living-place forthe turban snail. The snails rasp away the algaewith their filelike tongues.



Cabezon

CabezonScorpaenichthys marmoratus[size: to 3.25 ft. (99 cm)]

Like their relatives, the small tidepool sculpins,cabezons live on the bottom in rocky areas.When they sit still, their waving fins and mottledcolor blend in with the surrounding seaweed.

Cabezons eat invertebrates like crabs and snails,and some fishes. They swallow abalones whole,then spit out the shells. "Cabezon" means"big head" in Spanish. This fish has a big mouth, too—it can gulp large prey.

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California sheephead

California sheepheadSemicossyphus pulcher [size: to 3 ft. (91 cm)]

Sheephead swim above rocky areas. These fishare all born female, but turn into males whenthey grow to about 12 inches. They also turncolor, from red to red-and-black with white chins.

Sheephead eat snails, crabs, urchins and othershellfish. They're good to eat, so divers oftencatch them.

Decorator crab

Decorator crabLoxorhynchvs crispatus [size: to 3.5 in. (8.8 cm)]

A decorator crab camouflages its shell with algae,sponges and other things that grow on localrocks. When the crab sheds the shell for a newone, it has to redecorate. Often, the crab willtransfer material from the old shell to the new.

Decorator crabs eat algae, sea urchins, smallcrustaceans and sponges.


Critter Cards - Kelp Forest 3 - 4

Gumbot chiton

Gumboot chitonCryptochiton stelleri [size: to 12 in. (30 cm)]

The gumboot chiton is the largest chiton in theworld. It lives on the kelp forest floor, clinging torocks with its single large foot. It looks like half afootball, but is related to snails and clams. Itseight shells are inside, like a skeleton.

A gumboot chiton eats mostly red seaweeds,rasping with its filelike tongue.

Fish-eating anemone

Fish-eating anemoneUrticina piscivora [size: to 8 in. (20 cm)]

This anemone snares shrimp and small fishes. Itsstinging tentacles shoot thousands of tinyharpoons into the prey to hold it. A poison fromthe harpoons stuns the prey. After making acatch, the anemone stuffs the meal into itsmouth then closes up to digest it.

Red abalone

Red abaloneHaliotis rufescens [size: to 11.8 in. (30 cm)]

Red abalone live in crevices, rarely moving farfrom a chosen spot on the rock. The holes in theshell are outlets for water circulation.

These abalone catch passing seaweed for food.When the tentacles sense a large piece of driftingkelp, the abalone rears toward it, then grabs theseaweed with its big foot.



Sea otter

Sea otterEnhydra lutris [size: to 5.5 ft. (1.7 m)]

For warmth, the sea otter relies on its thick furcoat with 600,000 hairs per square inch. The otterspends nearly half its waking hours grooming itsfur coat to keep it waterproof.

The otter dives for shellfish, then eats lying on itsback at the surface. Because it consumes abalonesand crabs, the otter sometimes competes withpeople for food.

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Spiny brittle star

Spiny brittle starOphiothrix spiculata [size: to 5.7 in. (14.4 cm)]

Brittle stars hide among rocks and in the rootlikekelp holdfasts, anchored into cracks by their longspines. Their delicate arms break easily, but alsogrow back quickly.

Brittle stars catch suspended food particles bywaving their arms through the water. Small tubefeet on each arm transfer the food to the mouth.

Sea cucumber

Sea cucumberParastichopus californicus [size: to 16 in. (40 cm)]

Sea cucumbers creep slowly across the kelp forestfloor. Relatives of the sea stars, they use hundredsof tiny suction cup feet called "tube feet" to move.

The tentacles around a sea cucumber's mouth arealso a type of tube foot. The sea cucumberbrushes the tentacles across the seafloor as itmoves, collecting organic particles and stuffingthem into its mouth.


Critter Cards - Open Sea 1 - 2

Leatherback sea turtle

Leatherback sea turtleDermochelys coriacea coriacea[size: to 6 ft. (1.8 m)]

Sea turtles eat jellies. When plastic bags andballoons get in the ocean, they look like jellies.Sometimes turtles eat the plastic by mistake, thenthey choke and starve.

Blue shark

Blue sharkPrionace glauca [size: to 13.5 ft. (4 m)]

Blue sharks usually live offshore but visit thenearshore waters of Monterey Bay in late summerand fall. They make seasonal migrations ofthousands of miles. Sleek and graceful, they usetheir front fins for gliding, a swimming methodthat is especially efficient at low speeds.

Blue sharks feed mostly on fishes and squid.

Pacific white-sided dolphin

Pacific white-sided dolphinLagenorhynchus obliquidens [size: to 7 ft. (2.1 m)]

Resident pods of hundreds of white-sideddolphins streak through Monterey Bay. They swimin formation with other dolphins and sea lions,sometimes leaping from the water in spiritedsomersaults.

Each dolphin is unique, from the patterns on itsbody to the noises it makes. High-pitchedsqueaks, clicks and whistles help it communicatewith its family pod.


Critter Cards - Open Sea

Yellowfin tuna

Yellowfin tunaThunnus albacares [size: to 6.5 feet (2 m)]

Sleek, streamlined and fast, yellowfin tuna travelthe Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Local lawscan't protect these international travelers fromoverfishing. This makes the problem of tunaconservation a global one—which means we needto find global solutions.

Plankton

Plankton





Purple-striped jelly

Purple-striped jellyChrysaora colorata[size: to 2.5 ft. diameter of bell (80 cm)]

In certain seasons, when the currents run justright, purple-striped jellies mysteriously appearnear the shores of Monterey Bay, California.When the jellies arrive, it's wise to keep yourdistance (their sting isn't fatal, but it can bepainful). Since divers have seen ocean sunfisheating these jellies, we know some fishes must beimmune to the sting.


Critter Cards - The Deep Sea

Anglerfish

Blackdragon

Amphipod

AnglerfishLinophryne coronata [Size: to 4 in. (10 cm)]

A female anglerfish may attract prey with lights:part of her top fin looks like a fishing pole withbait that lights up. The glowing bait may lurefishes to her huge mouth. A male, barely half thefemale's size, depends on a female for food. Once mature, he may use his keen sense of smellto find a mate. Then he bites her and hangs on. His body fuses to hers and they become mates for life.

AmphipodCystisoma fabricii [Size: to 6 in. (15 cm)]

This amphipod swims slowly through the water, paddling its three pairs of swimming legs locatednear the rear of its body. Swimming slowly maybe fine; its crystal-clear body probably makes ithard for predators to see in the dim light. Thiscrustacean's two huge compound eyes may helpit to scan the dimly lit water in search of prey,though scientists don't know yet what it eats.

BlackdragonIdiacanthus antrostomus [Size: to 15 in. (38 cm)]

How can you tell a female blackdragon from amale? A female is darker and larger, and a longwhiskerlike barbel dangles from her chin. At night, she swims hundreds of feet up to the sea'ssurface to feed. At dawn, she makes her wayback down to the deep sea. Without a workingstomach, a male doesn't migrate for food. Unable to eat, he may only live for a year, justlong enough to mate.

1 - 4



Deep sea shrimp

Deep sea squid

Bristlemouth

Deep sea shrimpSergestes similis [Size: to 1.5 in. (4 cm)]

This shrimp's long antennae_nearly four times thelength of its body_may help this animal find foodor mates by sensing chemicals produced by otheranimals. This shrimp also uses bioluminescenceto help it survive. Light-producing organs dot theunderside of its red-and-white splotched body. The lights may attract mates, or they may helpthe shrimp hide from hungry predators.

BristlemouthCyclothone sp. [Size: to 3 in. (8 cm)]

Many species of bristlemouths live below 1,000feet (300 meters) where there's little light. Likemany deep sea fishes, some of these bristlemouthspecies have poorly developed eyes and must relyon other senses to make their way in the darkness.

Deep sea squidHistioteuthis meleagroteuthis[Size: to 12 in. (30 cm)]

All squids, from this foot-long deep sea species toits 50-foot-long relative, grab prey with their twolongest tentacles. And all squids use their eightarms to carry prey to their mouths. But unlikeother squids, the deep sea squid's left eye is muchlarger than its right one. Each eye works differently, but no one's sure why. How do you think the different-sized eyes might help this animal survive?

2 - 4

Shining tubeshoulder

Siphonophore

Lanternfish



Shining tubeshoulderSagamichthys abei [Size: to 13 in. (33 cm)]

Tiny tubelike projections above each pectoral finset this fish apart from others. Tubeshoulders cansquirt a bioluminescent cloud from their tubes,perhaps dazzling predators with a flash of light asthey slip away into the darkness. Tubeshoulders,born with gray-blue bodies and white tails,become shiny black as adults. As they grow,photophores develop along their undersides andon their heads.

LanternfishStenobrachius leucopsarus [Size: to 5 in. (13 cm)]

Each species of lanternfish has its own pattern oflight-producing photophores. Lanternfishes mayuse these patterns to find mates of their ownspecies. Some males may attract mates byflashing a large photophore near their tails. Ormaybe this light confuses predators, causingthem to attack the male's bright tail instead of hisdarker head. What do you think the lanternfishuses its taillights for?

SiphonophoreApolemia sp. [Size: to 98 ft. (30 m)]

A siphonophore is a chain of specialized parts;each one plays a role in the life of this animal. Afloating buoy leads, followed by a cluster ofround swimming bells that pulse to propel thechain (which can stretch nearly half the length of a football field). To eat, a siphonophore dangles a curtain of stinging tentacles that stun shrimp, ellies and other prey. The tentacles carry the prey to one of the mouth parts.

3 - 4



Gulper eel

Hatchetfish

Filetail catshark

Gulper eelEurypharynx pelecanoides [Size: to 16 in. (40 cm)]

The gulper eel's species name, pelecanoides,comes from its pouchlike mouth that looks like apelican's bill. This fish usually eats prawns andsmall fishes, but with its huge mouth, it mayswallow even larger prey. When hungry, thisflexible fish may wriggle its tail in front of itsmouth. The tail's tip glows in the dark and maylure prey close.

Filetail catsharkParmaturus xaniurus [Size: to 22 in. (56 cm)]

A filetail catshark swims gracefully along themuddy seafloor. Gray-brown above and palebelow, this fish blends in with its benthic habitat. Its large green eyes look upward, unlike those ofshallow-water sharks. Catsharks lay eggs withcurly corners. The curls catch on edges of rocksand sponges to anchor the egg case near thedeep seafloor. Here it'll stay for two years whilea tiny catshark grows inside.

HatchetfishArgyropelecus sp. [Size: to 4 in. (10 cm)]

Shaped like the head of a tiny hatchet, this fish iscountershaded to hide it from predators. Its backis dark; its belly is shiny silver with two rows ofglowing photophores. A hatchetfish scans thewater above for prey with tubular eyes. Its eyescan focus near or far, but only upward. Its large mouth points upward, too, ready to snap up preyonce it's been seen.

4 - 4


Critter Cards - Suited for the Sea 1 - 2

California halibut

California halibutParalichthys californicus [size: to 5 ft. (152 cm)]

A halibut has both eyes on the same side of itshead. It lives on the sandy seafloor, always lyingon one side of its body. The halibut wriggles itsflat body into the sand; its two eyes stick outabove the sand to watch for approachingpredators and prey.

Hermit crab

Hermit crabPagurus samuelis [size: to 1 in. (2.5 cm)]

A hermit crab wears an empty snail shell toprotect its soft body. The back legs hold the shellon tight. As the crab grows, it needs bigger shells.One hermit crab will even steal a good shell fromanother crab.

Though a hermit crab threatens and fights with itslarge claws, it's not a hunter. This crab eatsseaweeds and dead animals.

Ochre star

Ochre starPisaster ochraceus [size: to 1 ft. (30 cm)]

This sea star has hundreds of tiny suction-cup feetunder each arm that help it stick to rocks. The seastar is a real loafer; it clings motionless on a rockfor weeks.

Even a hungry sea star isn't hasty. Slow andsteady, its feet can pry apart a mussel. When themussel's two shells open, the sea star slides itsstomach between the shells to digest the animalinside.

Purple sea urchin

Purple sea urchinStrongylocentrotus purpuratus [size: to 4 in. (10 cm)]

Using their spines and teeth, urchins burrowslowly into solid rock. Because they grow as theydig, some end up trapped in holes, too big toleave.

Between the hard spines, an urchin has hundredsof tube feet. Its soft tube feet are always busy:some hold the urchin onto the rock; others movekelp to the urchin's greedy mouth.


Critter Cards - Suited for the Sea 2 - 2

Olive snail

Olive snailOlivella biplicata [size: to 1 in. (2.5 cm)]

The olive snail plows through the sand just belowthe surface, leaving a furrow behind. Its smooth,streamlined shell helps it slip through the sand.To breathe, the snail sends a tube above the sand.

The olive snail eats dead animals and plants. Itmay also gather tiny food bits from the sand.

Sea anemone

Sea anemoneAnthopleura elegantissima [size: to 10 in. (25 cm)]

The sea anemone looks like a flower on a thick,bumpy stalk, but it's really an animal. The floweryparts are tentacles with stingers. The stingers zapsmall animals that get too close; then theanemone swallows them whole.

At low tide, the anemone closes up. Bits of shellstuck to the bumpy flesh help keep the seaanemone from drying out.


Critter Cards - Marine Mammals 1 - 5

California sea lion

Common dolphin

Blue whale

California sea lionZalophus californianus [size: to 7.5 ft. (2.3 m)]

Diving 800 feet deep, the sea lion paddles withits strong front limbs and steers with its rearflippers. On land, it rotates the hind flippersforward to walk on all fours.

At mating time, the male sea lion barks andbellows to establish his territory and gather aharem of females. Never giving ground, noteven to eat, the bull defends his turf from maleintruders.

Blue whaleBalaenoptera musculus [size: to 100 ft. (30.5 m)]

Largest of all living animals, the 160-ton bluewhale consumes some fairly-small prey. Lungingopen-mouthed at schools of shrimplike krill, thisbaleen whale can engulf and strain four tons offood daily.

The 24-foot long newborn blue whale is animpressive eater, too. Drinking 130 gallons ofmilk a day, the calf can double its weight inone week.

Common dolphinDelphinus delphis [size: to 8.5 ft. (2.6 m)]

These slender dolphins live and travel in hugegroups that can cover several square miles. Even in pods of a hundred or more, the dolphinsprotect each other. When one is injured, theothers take turns supporting it so it doesn'tdrown.

In some countries, people still hunt and eatdolphins. Thousands more die each year,accidentally caught in fish nets.



Fin whale

Gray whale

Dall's porpoise

Fin whaleBalaenoptera physalis [size: to 88 ft. (27 m)]

The world's second largest animal, the fin whalecan cruise the open ocean at speeds of 35 milesan hour. Most other whales can't swim so fast forextended periods.

Uneven coloring makes the fin whale uniqueamong all whales; its lower jaw is white on theright and black on the left. Dark and light patternson its body may disguise the fin whale as it huntsfishes.

Dall's porpoisePhocoenoides dalli [size: to 7 ft. (2.1 m)]

This stocky porpoise has a small dorsal fin and tinyflippers, but it's a spectacular swimmer. Movinglike a hydroplane, it races through the water,leaving behind a "rooster tail" of spray when itsurfaces for air.

For food, the Dall's porpoise favors deep seafishing. It roams out beyond the continental shelfto hunt for squids, crustaceans and fishes.

Gray whaleEschrichtuis robustus [size: to 50 ft. (15 m)]

Gray whales make the longest migration of anymammal, swimming 12,000 miles each year. Infall, they head south to their breeding lagoons inBaja California; in spring, they return north tofeed in the Bering Sea.

Unlike other baleen whales, the gray whale eatsbottom-living crustaceans. The whale sucks in amouthful of mud and strains it through thebaleen to remove the prey.



Harbor seal

Humpback whale

Harbor porpoise

Harbor sealPhoca vitulinla [size: to 5 ft. (1.5 m)]

A harbor seal can't "walk" on land the way a sealion can. On shore, the harbor seal has to inchalong awkwardly on its belly, But in water, it's agraceful swimmer, powered by its webbed hindflippers.

Harbor seals don't migrate far from home. Theyhunt fishes, squids and octopuses near shore,using their large eyes and sensitive whiskers tohelp them locate prey.

Harbor porpoisePhocoena phocoena [size: to 6 ft. (1.8 m)]

The stocky harbor porpoise lives near shore inharbors, bays and river mouths. Wary of boats, itwon't cruise alongside them, preferring to swimquietly on the surface.

Harbor porpoises work cooperatively to huntsquids and fishes. The porpoises herd a school offish into a tight ball, then each porpoise grabs afish head-first and swallows it whole.

Humpback whaleMegaptera novaeangliae [size: to 51 ft. (15.6 m)]

Humpback whales travel between their Arcticfeeding grounds and tropical breeding grounds.Some migrate to Hawaii and some to Mexico; afew visit both sites in different years.

In the breeding areas, the males display theirgreat vocal range with songs that may warn offother males or attract females. As they sing, thewhales gradually alter their song, so each year it'sa different melody.



Northern elephant seal

Pacific white-sided dolphin

Minke Whale

Northern elephant sealMirounga angustirostris [size: to 19.5 ft. (5.9 m)]

Once hunted to near-extinction, elephant sealsare now breeding successfully again. At matingtime, they move ashore, the males battling forposition. With snorts of warning, the dominantbulls defend their females against rival males.

After breeding, the elephant seals return to thesea to feed. Diving deeper than 2,700 feet, theyhunt deep water fishes and squids.

Minke whaleBalaenoptera acutorostrata [size: to 35 ft. (10.7 m)]

Although it's as long as a bus, the minke whale isthe smallest of the baleen whales. As agile as aporpoise, it can leap from the water in a gracefularc or ride the bow wave of a passing ship.

Alone or with a companion, the minke whalehunts squids, fishes and krill. The whale jumpsand splashes to gather its prey in a ball, thenlunges in to scoop up the cluster.

Pacific white-sided dolphinLagenorhynchus obliquidens [size: to 7 ft. (2.1 m)]

Resident pods of hundreds of white-sideddolphins streak through Monterey Bay. They swimin formation with other dolphins and sea lions,sometimes leaping from the water in spiritedsomersaults.

Each dolphin is unique, from the patterns on itsbody to the noises it makes. High-pitchedsqueaks, clicks and whistles help it communicatewith its family pod.



Sei whale

Sperm whale

Sea Otter

Sei whaleBalaenoptera borealis [size: to 60 ft. (18.5 m)]

Sei whales cruise the oceans from polar regions tothe tropics. Unlike other baleen whales, they don'thave predictable migration routes but seem tofollow their prey, trailing the northward fishmigrations.

Swimming near the surface, the whale skims smallinvertebrates from the sea. As it feeds, the whale'sthroat pleats expand like an accordion to holdtons of water and prey.

Sea otterEnhydra lutris [size: to 5.5 ft. (1.7 m)]

For warmth, the sea otter relies on its thick furcoat with 600,000 hairs per square inch. The otterspends nearly half its waking hours grooming itsfur coat to keep it waterproof.

The otter dives for shellfish, then eats lying on itsback at the surface. Because it consumes abalonesand crabs, the otter sometimes competes withpeople for food.

Sperm whalePhyseter macrocephalus [size: to 62 ft. (18.9 m)]

Diving a mile or more below the surface, thesperm whale makes clicking noises to echolocatefor prey. When it finds a shark or giant squid, thewhale stuns it with a blast of sound and swallowsit whole.

For years, whalers hunted this whale for themilk-colored oil that fills its huge square head. Noone knows what the oil is for; perhaps it helps thewhale focus sounds.


Critter Cards - Fishes 1 - 2

Blue rockfish

Blue rockfishSebastes mystinus [size: to 21 in. (53 cm)]

Schools of blue rockfish swim among the kelpplants. Sport fishers often catch these fish, butthey must be careful when they do: rockfisheshave poisonous spines on some of their fins.

Blue rockfish eat small floating animals likeshrimps and jellyfishes.

California halibut

California halibutParalichthys californicus [size: to 5 ft. (152 cm)]

A halibut has both eyes on the same side of itshead. It lives on the sandy seafloor, always lyingon one side of its body. The halibut wriggles itsflat body into the sand; its two eyes stick outabove the sand to watch for approachingpredators and prey.

Cabezon

CabezonScorpaenichthys marmoratus[size: to 3.25 ft. (99 cm)]

Like their relatives, the small tidepool sculpins,cabezons live on the bottom in rocky areas.When they sit still, their waving fins and mottledcolor blend in with the surrounding seaweed.

Cabezons eat invertebrates like crabs and snails,and some fishes. They swallow abalones whole,then spit out the shells. "Cabezon" means"big head" in Spanish. This fish has a big mouth, too—it can gulp large prey.


Critter Cards - Fishes 2 - 2

Tidepool sculpin

Tidepool sculpinOligocottus maculosus [size: to 8 in. (20 cm)]

A tidepool sculpin is hard to see because its colors match the rocks and plants it lives on. A sculpin on sea lettuce won't look like one living on gray rocks.

At high tide, this fish travels about looking for small animals to eat. At low tide, it hurries back to its tide pool. Even if it explores nearby pools, a sculpin can find its way back home.

King salmon

King salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha[size: to 5 ft. (1.5 m)]

Salmon are born in freshwater rivers, then swimto the salty sea where they spend most of their lives. As adults, they must return to the river to layeggs. Salmon can find the way to their homestreams from thousands of miles out in the ocean.

Lanternfish

LanternfishStenobrachius leucopsarus [size: to 5 in. (13 cm)]

Each species of lanternfish has its own pattern oflight-producing photophores. Lanternfishes mayuse these patterns to find mates of their ownspecies. Some males may attract mates byflashing a large photophore near their tails. Ormaybe this light confuses predators, causingthem to attack the male's bright tail instead of hisdarker head. What do you think the lanternfishuses its taillights for?

Bat ray

Bat rayMyliobatis californica [size: to 6 ft. wide (1.8 m)]

Bat rays prey on clams, shrimp, worms and otherinvertebrates that live in the mud. Flapping theirwings to clear away mud, rays suck up their prey,crushing the shells with their strong jaws andhard, flat teeth.

In summer, bat rays enter sloughs and bayswhere they give birth to live young. It's a traitthey share with several other members of theshark family.


Critter Cards - Sharks, Skates and Rays 1 - 5

Basking shark

Basking sharkCetorhinus maximus [size: to 45 ft. (13.7 m)]

These large sharks live both offshore and near thecoast and are often seen near the surface.

Basking sharks eat zooplankton (small, driftinganimals like copepods and krill). To gather andstrain their food, basking sharks have largemouths and long, stiff, hair-like projections calledgill rakers lining their gills. Their numerous teethare tiny.

Big skate

Big skateRaja binoculata [size: to 8 ft. (2.4 m) wide]

The largest skate in the area, big skates live onthe bottom in shallow water, to 360 ft (110 m).Instead of giving birth to live young, they lay eggcases called "mermaid's purses."

Big skates eat fishes, crabs and shrimp. Theirpredators include sevengill sharks. Fishers alsocatch skates The "wings" of the skate are the partthat people like to eat most.



Horn shark

Horn sharkHeterodontus francisci [size: to 4 ft. (1.2 m)]

Horn sharks live on the bottom nearshore, inrocky or sandy areas or in kelp forests. Their spotsserve as camouflage, while flexible lower fins helpthem move easily over the seafloor.

Horn sharks eat small fishes and invertebratessuch as shrimp and clams. Their low, flat backteeth help crush the shells of their prey.

Blue shark

Blue sharkPrionace glauca [Size: to 13.5 ft. (4 m)]

Blue sharks usually live offshore but visit thenearshore waters of Monterey Bay in late summerand fall. They make seasonal migrations ofthousands of miles. Sleek and graceful, they usetheir front fins for gliding, a swimming methodthat is especially efficient at low speeds.

Blue sharks feed mostly on fishes and squid.

Filetail catshark

Filetail catsharkParmaturus xaniurus [Size: to 22 in. (56 cm)]

A filetail catshark swims gracefully along themuddy seafloor. Gray-brown above and palebelow, this fish blends in with its benthic habitat. Catsharks lay eggs with curly corners. The curlscatch on edges of rocks and sponges to anchorthe egg case near the deep seafloor. Here it'll stay for two years while a tiny catshark growsinside.



Pacific electric ray

Pacific electric rayTorpedo californica [size: to 5 ft. (1.5 m)]

Electric rays live on fine sandy bottoms, often inkelp forests or near rocky reefs. They prefershallow to moderately deep water, to 640 ft.(195 m).

Electric rays eat mostly fishes. Though they'resoft-bodied and slow-moving, these rays can stunprey and fend off enemies with electric shocks ofup to 200 volts

Leopard shark

Leopard sharkTriakis semifasciata [size: to 7 ft. (2.1 m)]

Leopard sharks live on sandy or rocky bottoms ofbays or other inshore areas. Their spotted andbarred coloring camouflages them against theseafloor. Leopard sharks bear live young.

Leopard sharks eat fishes, fish eggs andinvertebrates like crabs, worms and shrimps.Sevengills and other large sharks prey on leopardsharks.

Sevengill shark

Sevengill sharkNotorynchus maculatus [size: to 9 ft. (2.7 m)]

Sevengill sharks often live in shallow bays. Theyhave seven gills on each side of the body, unlikemost sharks, which have five. Because of theirbulky bodies, sevengills and their relatives arecalled "cow sharks."

Sevengills eat crabs and fishes (including smallsharks, skates and rays) as well as dead animals.



Skate egg case

Skate egg caseRaja binoculata [size: to 12 in. (30 cm)]

Instead of giving birth to live young, skates lay atough egg case containing one to seven skateembryos. The egg case, called a "mermaid'spurse," has hooked corners that may help it catchin seaweed on the sand. The young skates growand develop for many months, each nourished bya yolk.

(The picture gives you a cutaway view of the case.)

Shovelnose guitarfish

Shovelnose guitarfishRhinobatos productus [size: to 6 ft. (1.8 m)]

Shovelnose guitarfish live on muddy or sandybottoms inshore and in bays, burrowing in thesand when they're resting. They prefer shallowwater, to 50 ft. (15 m).

Guitarfish eat small fishes and invertebrates likecrabs, worms and shrimp. Their teeth are smalland blunt for crushing their prey.

Spiny dogfish

Spiny dogfishSqualus acanthias [size: to 5 ft. (1.5 m)]

Spiny dogfish live in schools, both near the coast(often in bays) and offshore as deep as 2,400 ft.(732 m). They've been known to live 80 years ormore. A spiny dogfish has one poisonous spine infront of each dorsal fin.

They eat small fishes and invertebrates like crabsand shrimps; they're also caught by fishers forfood.



Thresher shark

Thresher sharkAlopias vulpinus [size: to 20 ft. (6 m)]

Thresher sharks live in the open sea, sometimescoming closer to shore as they hunt. Their youngare often found inshore off beaches and in bays.

They eat fishes, squid and other animals of theopen sea. Biologists think thresher sharks use thelong upper part of the tail to round up and stunprey. These sharks are caught by commercialfishers for food.

White shark

White shark Carchardodon carcharias [size: to 30 ft. (9.1 m)]

White sharks live both offshore and near the coast.Their torpedo-shaped bodies and symmetricaltails are adaptations for efficient swimming.

White sharks eat fishes (including sharks), seabirds and mammals, turtles and shellfish.

Thornback ray

Thornback rayPlatyrhinoidis triseriata [size: to 3 ft. (91 cm)]

Thornback rays live on mud or sandy bottoms inshallow, nearshore areas to 150 ft. (46 m). Theyare often found off beaches or in bays, wherethey bury themselves in the sediment.

These rays eat sand-dwelling invertebrates likeshrimps, clams and worms. The rows of hookedspines on their backs are probably for defense.

Brown pelican

Brown pelicanPelecanus occidentalis [size: to 7 ft. wingspan (2 m)]

Thousands of pelicans visit Elkhorn Slough insummer and fall. In late fall, they migrate south toMexico and South America where they build saucer-shaped nests on the ground or in trees andraise two to three young.

In the 1960s, heavy use of the pesticide DDTnearly killed all the brown pelicans. Today, DDT isbanned in the United States. But its use in Mexicoand other countries along with habitat losswithin the pelican's range are still threats.


Critter Cards - People and the Sea 1 - 2

California sea lion

California sea lionZalophus californianus [size: to 7.5 ft. (2.3 m)]

Diving 800 feet deep, the sea lion paddles withits strong front limbs and steers with its rearflippers. On land, it rotates the hind flippersforward to walk on all fours.

At mating time, the male sea lion barks andbellows to establish his territory and gather aharem of females. Never giving ground, noteven to eat, the bull defends his turf from maleintruders.

King salmon

King salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha[size: to 5 ft. (1.5 m)]

Salmon are born in freshwater rivers, then swimto the salty sea where they spend most of their ives. As adults, they must return to the river to layeggs. Salmon can find the way to their homestreams from thousands of miles out in the ocean.


Critter Cards - People and the Sea 2 - 2

Leatherback sea turtle

Leatherback sea turtleDermochelys coriacea coriacea[size: to 6 ft. (1.8 m)]

Sea turtles eat jellies. When plastic bags andballoons get in the ocean, they look like jellies.Sometimes turtles eat the plastic by mistake, thenthey choke and starve.

Pismo clam

Pismo clamTivela stultorum [size: to 6 in. (15 cm)]

Pismo clams dig into the sand near the surfzone. To dig, a clam pushes its foot downwardthrough the sand like a wedge. Then it anchorsthe foot and pulls the shell along after it.

Clams send a feeding tube above the sand. Theyinhale water through it, filtering out tiny plantsand animals called plankton.

How would you help protect clams?

People

PeopleHomo sapiens [size: to 7.5ft. (2.3m)]

People are part of the ocean's food web. Themore people there are, the more fishes we catchand pollution we cause. To help save the oceans,we can make careful choices: use less plastic,gasoline and electricity and have small families.

What will you do?

Documents

Barnacle - Monterey Bay Aquarium · Barnacle Brown turban snail ... small animals that get too close; then the ... sea urchin larva, crab larva, snail larva, copepod.)