Photos / Sounds
What
Green Algae (Phylum Chlorophyta)Observer
laurennashirDescription
Found exposed to air, but in area that is covered by water during high tide. Vibrant green, somewhat translucent. Very slippery, slimy texture. Easily removable from rock.
Photos / Sounds
What
Red Sea Leaf (Erythrophyllum delesserioides)Observer
laurennashirDescription
This plant was a deep red color with red-orange veins that were white inside. It measured about two and a half feet in length but it had been broken off from the rest of the plant. Found floating in a shallow, rather empty tide pool which leads me to believe it had been washed up from deeper waters. The plant was smooth in some parts but had small bumps covering the surface.
Photos / Sounds
What
Turkish Washcloth (Mastocarpus papillatus)Observer
laurennashirDescription
This purple-brown seaweed covers a large area of the intertidal rocks at the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. The texture is rough/coarse and flexible. Several strips grow from one root attached to the surface. This seaweed is exposed to air during low tide and is submerged underwater during high tide. The length of this seaweed differed but had an average of about 4 to 5 inches. In the third photo you can see two small periwinkle snails attached to the seaweed.
Photos / Sounds
What
Genus CorallinaObserver
laurennashirDescription
This algae was found in bushels underwater. The color appeared red-purple under water but looked more brown when I took it out of the water, white specks capped the tops of the plant. The skeleton of this was segmented, which made it feel rough.
Photos / Sounds
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Rough Limpet (Lottia scabra)Observer
laurennashirDescription
Found firmly attached to the rock and exposed to air. This cone- shaped creature appeared a yellow-white color, felt rough and ribbed. Was sessile and found near many others that were much smaller. The limpet measured about two centimeters across (long ways) and one and a half centimeter across the other way.
Photos / Sounds
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Green Pin-cushion Alga (Cladophora columbiana)Observer
laurennashirDescription
Found attached to rock exposed to air and also under water. Soft/ cushiony, spongey feeling. Easily removed from the rock. Bright emerald shade of green. This plant was scattered randomly among the tide pools and didn't grow much taller than 2 inches above the ground.
Photos / Sounds
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Black Tegula (Tegula funebralis)Observer
laurennashirDescription
Found suctioned to a rock in a shallow tide pool with many others like it. This creature was mostly stationary, but when it was moving it went at a slow pace and little tentacles came out to sense the surface. The shell was black and pearly/metallic white at the top where it had been worn down, it measured about a half an inch in width and 1/4 inch in height. The snail was black with a pale ivory bottom.
Photos / Sounds
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California Mussel (Mytilus californianus)Observer
laurennashirDescription
Found underwater in a shallow tide pool, not among other mussels, which lead me to believe it was dead and washed up since these mussels are usually found in deeper water living in large clusters that are firmly attached to a surface. The streaked, black and blue shell was slightly opened, I couldn't open it any further due to the shells strength and durability. This mussel was about 1 3/8 inches long and a half inch wide.
Photos / Sounds
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Aggregating Anemone (Anthopleura elegantissima)Observer
laurennashirDescription
Found in a fairly shallow tide pool co-existing along with other creatures like crabs and snails. The anemone was a light green-blue color with purple at the ends of it's tentacles, and the outside was a dumpster green-brown. This anemone, like many others, was found still but when the water around it was agitated, it's tentacles moved. When I touched the anemone it proceed to close up until no tentacles were exposed. The outside of this anemone feels slimy and the inside feels sticky, however it leaves no residue on you after touching it. The diameter of this anemone was about one inch.
Photos / Sounds
What
Blueband Hermit Crab (Pagurus samuelis)Observer
laurennashirDescription
Crab was dark green and brown with bright white stripes lining it's legs. You can tell it's a young crab because it has several white bands, whereas adults have few, and the size of the crab was quite small (3/8 inch in width & about 1/2 inch in height). The shell was mostly brown but with some metallic silver spots covering it. In the third photo you can see that a small limpet is attached to the shell. This crab was found in a rocky and shallow part of the tide pool, he was actively crawling around when found.