A Sea of Grass; Part 10 – The Fish

A Sea of Grass; Part 10 – The Fish

When visiting and exploring seagrass beds, most are hoping, and expecting, to see fish.  As we have seen in this series, there are a lot of creatures that can be found living within a seagrass meadow, but it is the fish that get our attention and what we talk most about afterwards. 

According to Hoese and Moore’s Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico; Texas, Louisiana, and Adjacent Waters, there are 497 species of fish found in the Gulf of Mexico.  In my surveys of Pensacola Bay over the years, I have logged 101 of those in the estuary.  I am sure there are more, but I can confirm there are at least those.  Many spend all or part of their time in our seagrasses.  As you seine or snorkel in the grassbeds you will notice most of them are very small.  Much of this is due to the fact that the seagrasses are nursery areas for many species, and it is the young that we find here.  But many are also small as adults, and the grass provides food and shelter for them.  There are far too many to mention in an article like this, but let’s look at some of them. 

Sardines and Anchovies

As you snorkel through the grass, or even look at it from a boat or dock, you see numerous silver colored baitfish flashing as they dart in and out of the grass.  There are all sorts of silver baitfish in the seagrasses with sardines and anchovies being two of them.  In my experience seining for fish, they appear to be seasonal.  I did not capture them all year but when I did, I would capture a lot.  These species are famous for being the ones in small tins that people consume, though there is no fishery for them here locally.  Anchovies have also been considered an indicator species; their presence suggests good water quality. 

The striped anchovy is a fish often found in our seagrass beds. Photo: NOAA.

Silverside Minnows

Also known as silversides and glass minnows, these are one of the most common fish collected in seine nets.  They are abundant year-round and are an important food source for many of the larger predators living here.  Small and transparent, you do not see them while snorkeling.  Their huge presence is only discovered when you pull a seine net through the grass.  There are several species of them, but they are not easily identified and more often are just logged as “silversides”.  They are an important member of the seagrass community. 

The silverside, or “glass” minnow. Photo: U.S. Geological Survey

Seahorses and Pipefish

These two fish are highly specialized for living in seagrasses.  They look like grass and move very little making them hard to detect.  Like silverside minnows, it is rare to see them while snorkeling but make their presence known when seining.  Their bodies are covered in armor-like scales, and they have tubed mouths for “vacuuming” small invertebrates from the water column.  They are very slow swimmers and have to avoid detection by blending in with the environment.  And yes, it is the males that carry the eggs in their brood pouches.  These are amazing fish and always bring excitement when they are captured in the net.  There are two species of seahorses and seven species of pipefish found in our waters. 

The seahorse-like pipefish. Photo: University of Florida

Killifish

Often called “bull minnows” by anglers, these small fish are, at times, very abundant.  There are seven species of killifish in our bays but the Gulf Killifish, Longnose Killifish, and the Bayou Killifish are the ones we most often collected. 

This longnose killifish has the rounded fins of a bottom dwelling fish.

Needlefish

These are common, frequently seen, fish swimming at the surface of the water.  Long and needle-shaped, these fish have long snouts full of sharp teeth indicating they are one of the predators of this system.  There are four species of them, and they are not easy to tell apart.  They are harmless to humans unless you capture them in your net at which time they will try to bite. 

Swimming near the surface is a common place to find needlefish. Photo: Florida Springs Institute

Mullet

Another very common fish found year-round here.  This species are the ones famous for jumping while you are fishing, paddling, or just watching from the beach.  Those who do not visit the Gulf coast often always ask “I just saw a fish jump!” and the reply from a local (without even looking up to see what it was) will reply “It’s a mullet”.  These schooling fish can get pretty large (average length is 30 inches) and it is common to see fishermen out with their cast nets trying to catch a few.  It is a popular food fish for those along the Gulf coast.  Mullet fries, with beans and grits, are a way of life here.  The fish are easily seen swimming and darting over the grass as you paddle by, and their young are found seasonally in seine nets.  They are bottom feeders, feeding mostly on algae from the grass blades.  There are actually two species, the white and the striped mullet.  The striped mullet, also known as the black mullet, is the one most often sold in the seafood markets. 

The Striped Mullet. Image: LSU Extension

Drums and Croakers

With 18 species within this family, this is the largest family of inshore fish in the Gulf.  Growing up along the panhandle people learn quickly about croakers.  Back in the day when gill nets were used to harvest mullet, croakers were a common catch as well, and often consumed.  Today they are still sought by some shore-based anglers and juveniles are common in seine nets.  The species I most often captured were the spot and Atlantic croaker.  Spot croakers were common year-round, Atlantic croakers were more seasonal.  

Drums are larger members of this family.  There are several species more associated with sandy bottoms and the shoreline of the Gulf, many of these are called whiting, but the red drum (redfish) and black drum can be found in the grassbeds.  Redfish are particularly common here and one of the reasons many anglers get out of bed in the morning.  They are very popular sportfish across the region.  Black drums are not found as often, and like being around pilings and structures that offer certain foods they prefer.  Both species can get quite large.  Redfish average 5 feet while black drums can reach an average of 3 feet.

All of the fish in this family are famous for their “croaking” “drum” sounds they make using their swim bladder, and it is rare not to capture at least one kind in a seine net. 

The classic look of a bottom fish. This is the redfish, or red drum. Photo: NOAA

Spotted Seatrout; Speckled Trout; “Specks”

There is no “trout family” in the fish world.  Most freshwater trout are members of the salmon family while the marine versions are members of the drum/croaker family.  This is the case with the famous speckled trout – or speck.  There are white trout and silver seatrout in this family, and all are sought after by anglers, but it is the speckled trout that is most associated with seagrasses, most sought after by anglers, and is one of the top predators in this system.  They reach an average length of 4 feet. 

Spotted Sea Trout – Cynoscion nebulosus http://www.floridasportsman.com/sportfish/seatrout/

Pinfish and Sheepshead

From my experience both snorkeling and seining the grasses, I would say – hands down – that pinfish is the most common species found in our grasses.  For many young anglers this is the first fish they ever catch.  You can see them easily while snorkeling and they are the most numerous species in the nets throughout the year.  Their huge numbers play an important role in the food web of this system.  Feeding on a variety of small invertebrates in and around the grass blades, pinfish are a large part of the diet of the larger sportfish we target.  Throwing cast nets and dropping pinfish traps is popular with anglers to collect this abundant baitfish for their life bait fishing efforts.  They are called pinfish because of the sharp spines in their dorsal fins.  These are also the fish that nip at your ankles while you are standing still in the water. 

Sheepsheads are larger members of the porgy family (the ones these two species belong to).  As adults sheepsheads prefer hard structure where they can use their incisors to chip away at barnacles and other shellfish, but they are sometimes found roaming the grassbeds and their young will spend their growing years hiding and feeding in the grass. 

One of the most common fish in our grassbeds; the pinfish. Photo: Nicholls State University.

Pigfish

When first captured in the seine net, pigfish are often confused with pinfish – they look very similar.  But a closer look at the striping/spotted pattern on their sides, and the position of their mouth, you realize you have something different.  Being members of the grunt family, they also “croak” like croakers and drums – hence their common name “pigfish” – due to the grunting sounds.  This helps with identifying which fish you have.  Though common in the grasses, I did not catch these as frequently as pinfish and they were not as abundant. 

Spotfin Mojarra

This is a common silver baitfish that resembles the pinfish and is frequently collected in our seine nets.  The mojarra is in a different family than pinfish.  They lack sharp spines and incisor teeth, rather they have a sort of “vacuum” like mouth which they use to suck small invertebrates from the sand. 

Gag Grouper

This is a popular sport and commercial fish from the wrecks and reefs of the Gulf of Mexico.  But gags begin their lives in the seagrass beds, and we have collected medium sized individuals in our seine nets.  This underscores the importance of these grassbeds to the fisheries so many love.  We need to protect these systems from our activity both on land and in the water. 

Gag grouper. Photo: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Jacks

Another popular group with anglers, many species of jacks use these grasses as their nurseries.  We most often collected juvenile lookdowns, pompano, and crevalle in our nets.  At times we caught a small member of the family called a leatherjacket.  These were seasonal and associated with breeding.  Once again, underscoring the importance of having healthy seagrasses. 

Jacks have the sleek, fast design of the typical open water marine fish. Photo: NOAA

Toadfish

One of the creeper looking fish in the seagrass community is the Gulf toadfish (also known as the oyster dog).  This monstrous looking bottom fish lives in burrows scattered around the grassbeds where they lie in wait to ambush prey.  Their large mouths and sharp teeth can grab a variety of creatures, including the human finger.  At times small toadfish will move into an empty can or bottle discarded by people instead of a burrow where they grow to a size they can no longer escape.  It is said there may be a mild venom associated with their bite.  Though no one has ever died, or been sent to the hospital, due their bite, it is painful and should be avoided. 

The common estuarine Gulf toadfish. Photo: Flickr

Barracuda

Yes, barracuda can be found in seagrasses.  But in our case, these have all been juveniles.  There are three species of them, and they are not easy to tell apart.  They also appeared to be seasonal in our collections.  We never found them high numbers, usually one or two in a seine.  But they are present. 

The Great Barracuda. Photo: NOAA

Lizardfish

This is another medium sized, sharp toothed, bottom dwelling predator of the grassbed community.  There are seven species of them, and all have that “snake” “lizard” look to them having many sharp canine teeth.  They spend their time buried in the sand waiting to ambush potential prey.  Snorkelers may see them as they dart away tossing up sand when we get too close.  I rarely see them snorkeling but occasionally capture them in the seine net to the delight of the students assisting.  

Blennies and Gobies

These are very small fish that are almost impossible to find while snorkeling but are often collected in the seine net.  They resemble the freshwater darters and, lacking a swim bladder, spend their time on the bottom.  There are many species associated with rocks and artificial reefs but there are some who call the seagrasses home.  They use their incisor teeth to feed on small invertebrates in and on the grasses.  Being territorial, they can give a little nip to your hand.  Gobies differ from blennies in that their two pelvic fins are fused together to form a sort of “cup” or “sucker disk”. 

Puffers

Another one of the more popular fish with students who help me seine.  Everyone loves to see them inflate with either water or air into a “balloon” to make it very difficult for predators to consume them.  There are eight species of puffers in the Gulf of Mexico, five of them have been captured in our seines.  Most are small with little “bumps” on their bodies instead of spines.  But there is the Burrfish, who is a member of a different family that is medium sized, has spines, and is very common in the grassbeds.   

Striped Burrfish Photo: NOAA

Filefish

Our grassbeds are full of a small cousin to the triggerfish – the planehead filefish.  Like triggerfish, filefish have a thick sharp spine that is found at the front of the dorsal fin – called a “trigger” on the triggerfish.  The planehead filefish is a small species (nine inches average length), green to brown in color, and very common in the grassbeds; though you will probably not see one unless you catch it in a net. 

Planehead Filefish. Photo: NOAA.

Flounders and Soles

A favorite food fish for many locals, flounders spend a lot of time buried in the sand near grassbeds to ambush prey.  Born with a typical fish design, early in development one of their eyes will move to the other side of the head, giving them two eyes on one side.  By doing this, they have increased their binocular vision, improving their ability to judge accurate distance of the prey, and making hunting easier.  They lose color on the side where the eye has left and have chromatophores (cells) on the side where the eyes are that, like octopus and squid, allow them to change colors and blend in.  In our part of the Gulf, if the eyes move to the left side of the head, they are called flounders.  If they move to the right, they are called soles.  Soles in our part of the Gulf of small not of much interest to anglers.  One small species is often collected by shrimpers who feed them to hogs.  This sole can “cup” their body in defense making like a suction cup and they do this in the throat of the hogs sometimes killing them.  They are called “hogchokers”.  Flounders on the other hand are very popular with anglers.  Some fish for them using rod and reel, others prefer gigging them at night using lanterns.  There are 17 species of flounder, some reaching lengths of three feet. 

A flounder scurrying across the seafoor. Photo: NOAA

Tonguefish

Tonguefish are small flat fish with eyes on one side of their heads like flounder.  They differ than that their tails come to a point and there is no caudal fin present, as there is in flounders.  As mentioned, they are small – ranging from 3 to 8 inches in length.  The Blackcheek tonguefish is particularly common in our grassbeds.  But like so many, you will not see it unless you catch it in a net. 

Snook

This is a very popular gamefish from south Florida associated with several habitats including grassbeds.  Due to a process some call “tropicalization” – the movement of tropical species north due to climate change – snook are now, albeit in small numbers, reported in the Florida panhandle.  This is a new species you may see while exploring or fishing out there. 

This snook was captured near Cedar Key. These tropical fish are becoming more common in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Photo: UF IFAS

There are many more species of fish found in our grassbeds we could talk about, but we will end it here.  As we mentioned in the beginning, this is a group of animals that many come to the beach to find.  Whether for fun or for food, finding fish makes for a good day.  See how many different species you can find. 

Herrings, Sardines, and Anchovies of the Florida Panhandle

Herrings, Sardines, and Anchovies of the Florida Panhandle

These are all fish that many have heard of but know nothing about.  They are not even sure what they look like.  We have heard of them as a seafood product.  Smoked herring, canned sardines, and anchovy pizza are popular the world over.  These are one of the largest commercial species harvested in U.S. waters.  In 2020 over 6 million pounds of sardines, 12 million pounds of anchovies, 41 million pounds of herring, 1.3 BILLION pounds of menhaden were harvested.  The menhaden catch alone was valued at just under $200 million2.  It not as large a fishery in Florida.  327,000 pounds of menhaden, 700,000 pounds of sardines, and 1.8 million pounds of herring were harvested from state waters in 2020 and at value of about $900,000 in 2020.  The fish are popular in many European dishes, cat food, and menhaden oil is used in many products.

The Gulf menhaden supports a large commercial fishery in the Gulf of Mexico.
Photo: NOAA

These fishes are actually divided into two families.  The herring, sardine, and menhaden are in the Family Clupeidae and are often called “clupeids”.  This family includes 11 species in the northern Gulf of Mexico.  Most have a “hatchet” shape to their bodies – being straight along their back with a deep curve along the ventral side, and most having a forked, or lunate, tail.  They average between 2-20 inches in length and form massive schools as they travel near the surface waters filtering plankton.  They are often harvested using purse seines.  Large factory vessels will plow the waters searching for the large schools.  Often, they will use aerial assistance to search such as small airplanes or ultralights.  Once spotted, small chase boats will be launched from the factory vessel hauling the large purse seine around the school.  Once that is completed a large weight called a “tommy” is dropped that “zips” the purse shut and captures the fish.  There is little bycatch in this method.

Purse seining in the Pacific Ocean.
Photo: NOAA

The anchovies are found in the family Engraulidae.  They differ in that they are more streamlined in shape and their mouths are larger / body size than the clupeids.  Though there is no commercial fishery for them in Florida, they comprise one of the largest groups of schooling fish in the northern Gulf of Mexico.  Hoese and Moore mention that the local species are too small for a fishery.  The five native species average between 2.5-5.5 inches in length1.  Some marine biologists consider anchovies as an “environmental canary”, or indicator species.  Their presence can suggest good water quality.  I have often caught them in seines along the beach in the Pensacola area.  They resemble the very common silverside minnow in that they have a silver stripe running down their sides.  But they differ in that they (a) only have a single dorsal fin (silversides have two), and (b) their snouts extend to a point resembling the head of a shark.

This striped anchovy resembles a silver side but differs with the shape of its snout and the number of dorsal fins.
Photo: NOAA

The distribution and biogeography of this group of fishes is all over the place.  The round herring (Etrumeus teres) has few barriers and is found from the Bay of Fundy (at the Canadian/Maine border) to the Pacific Ocean1!  A few species have the classic “Carolina” distribution – meaning they are found from North Carolina south, the entire Gulf of Mexico, and down to Brazil.  For whatever reason (currents, water temperature, other) they do not venture north of the Carolinas and are probably impacted by the large amount of freshwater entering the Atlantic Ocean near the Amazon River.

 

Twp species are restricted by tropical conditions.  The tiny dwarf herring (Jenkinsia lamprotaenia) and the Spanish sardine (Sardinella anchovia) are both listed as being restricted by water temperatures, though I have captured plenty of the Spanish sardines in the Pensacola area.

 

Some species are restricted to either the eastern or western Gulf of Mexico.  Usually, the barrier for this distribution is the Mississippi River.  Like the Amazon, there is a large plume of highly turbid/low salinity water extending into the Gulf of Mexico which keeps some species from crossing.  Hoese and Moore report the Alabama shad (Alosa alabamae) only from the area between the Mississippi River and the Florida panhandle.  The Mississippi River to one side, and the Apalachicola on the other.

Clupeids, like this Pacific sardine, for m large schools can consist of literally millions of fish.
Photo: NOAA

And finally, there is a spatial distribution with some species between freshwater, estuaries, and the open shelf.  Two species, the threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense) and the gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) are more associated with freshwater.  The scaled sardine (Harengula pensacolae) is more common on the open shelf of the Gulf.

 

We all know the names of these fish but are unaware of their general biology and importance to commercial fisheries around the world.  Many are common in our estuaries and play an important role in the health of the overall ecology.  They are important members of the “panhandle fish family”.

 

 

References

1 Hoese, H.D., R.H. Moore. 1977. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico; Texas, Louisiana, and Adjacent Waters. Texas A&M Press, College Station TX.  Pp. 327.

 

2 NOAA Fisheries.  2021. Commercial Landings.  https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/foss/f?p=215:200:2082956461436::NO:::.

 

3 Florida Commercial Landings.  2021. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.  https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/fishstats/commercial-fisheries/landings-in-florida/.

Fish From Florida’s Panhandle Seagrass Beds

Fish From Florida’s Panhandle Seagrass Beds

Seagrasses have been described as the “nursery of the sea”.  Studies show that up to 90% of the commercially valuable fin and shellfish species spend part, or all, of their lives in these submerged meadows.  As you can imagine, these grasses must grow in clear, relatively shallow waters – so they are more inshore.  You might also imagine that most of the fish living here are going to be small.  There are the larger predators in this grassy world, but most are going to be small enough to hide amongst the blades. 

These inshore seagrass meadows not only provide hiding places but provide food as well.  Interestingly, most do not feed on the grass directly, but rather the tiny plants and animals that are attached to the blades – what are called epiphytes and epizoids.  Those that feed on these are then preyed upon by slightly large creatures until we find the larger apex predators – like the speckled trout. 

Many of those who reside here are specialist in camouflage and mimicry, and others might be ones who actually live in the sand bordering the edge of the meadows – waiting for a chance to pounce on unsuspecting food.  Let’s meet a few of these interesting fish. 

Photo: Nicholls State University

 

Pinfish

You are at the beach for a day of fun and sun.  You enter the water of Santa Rosa Sound to play at the edge of the seagrass bed, or maybe to snorkel and explore it.  As you stand on the sand you feel little nips at your ankles and immediately think – CRAB! But you would be wrong.  As you look closer you will see it came from a small fish – and the more you stir the sand, more of these small fish arrive.  They are probably feeding on the small invertebrates that are stirred up from your movement, but they periodically nip at you as well. 

This small fish is a very common member of the inshore fish community known as the pinfish.  They are members of the Porgy family, related to sheepshead, and have incisor teeth for crushing the shells of their prey.  Most locals are first introduced to them as a kid while fishing.  They seem to bite, or steal, any bait you put on.  Most often used as bait themselves, they are actually edible – but you need one of the large ones to have a meal.  They get their common name from the sharp spines of their dorsal fin.  When snorkeling in the grassbeds you will find they are the most common fish there. 

Photo: USGS

Needlefish

These guys look scarier than they are.  Long skinny fish with long skinny snouts that hold long skinny teeth.  They resemble barracuda and have the look as if they could attack and do some damage – but they are harmless, unless you catch one in a net, then they will swing their long skinny heads towards your hand for snip. 

These small predators travel above the grassbeds looking for potential prey hiding among.  Small juvenile fish seem to be what they want.  Though often just referred to as “needlefish”, there are actually four species, but they are hard to tell apart. 

Photo: NOAA

Seahorses

These are captivating fish, and very hard to find as they blend in so well, but they are there – along with their close cousins the pipefish.  It seems hard to call it a fish at all – it certainly does not look like one.  Swimming vertically in the water, no tail to speak of, they seem like a creature in their own group.  But they are fish.  The scales are fused into an armor plating and they do have both gills and fins – characteristics of fish.  They will use their prehensile tail to grab onto a grass blade, hanging there waiting for tiny shrimp to swim by which they inhale using a vacuum like motion with their tube-shaped mouths. 

Pipefish resemble seahorses but are elongated, with a distinct fin for a tail, and swim horizontally as most fish do.  They will turn vertically in the grass to appear to be a blade themselves and hunt similar prey as their seahorse cousins. 

A well-known characteristic of this group is the fact that the males carry the fertilized eggs – not the females.  Males can be identified by the brood sac on their ventral side and they may carry up to 80 eggs.  The eggs hatch within the pouch and the young are born alive. 

Photo: NOAA

Puffers

This group of fish are famous for their ability to “blow up”, or inflate like a balloon, when threatened.  Kids love to play with them and get a kick out of watching them inflate.  These are round bodied – slow moving fish, which is one reason they inflate.  It does not matter if you can catch them, you cannot swallow them if you do! 

There are actually two different families of “blowfish”.  The true puffers are smaller (3-12 inches), have tubercles on their bodies instead of long spines, and the teeth in the upper and lower jaw have a space forming four teeth (two on the top jaw, two on the bottom) – giving them their family name “tetradontidae”.  The “burrfish” are larger in size (1-2 feet), have long spines on the body, and no median in the teeth – so only one tooth on the top jaw, one on the bottom – “diodontidae”. 

The most common one found is the striped burrfish.  The big boy of the group – the 2-foot porcupine fish – is rare in the northern Gulf and prefers the reefs of the open sea to grassbeds. 

When threatened they will inflate with water (or air) and try to continue swimming.  After the danger has passed, they will deflate and go about their merry way.  There are stories about their flesh being poisonous and dangerous to eat – it is true.  The compound they produce is one of the more toxic found in the fish world.  Though there are certified chefs around the world who can safely clean them, it is not recommended you eat these.   

“Sea”sons Greetings!

Many marine species have festive holiday names. Jingle Shells, Pinecone Fish, Red Drum, Marine Snow, and Christmas Tree Worms are just a few.

Pine Cone Fish - Photo Credit, Flickr user, Spencer Wright77

Pine Cone Fish – Photo Credit, Flickr user, Spencer Wright

Pinecone Fish get their name as result of their armored plates called scutes. The scutes have ridges which cause the fish to resemble a pinecone. Pinecone fish are native to warm waters of the Indoneasion and Western Pacific Oceans.

Pinecone fish feed on zooplankton which they attract using bioluminescent organs that are found on each side of their lower jaw. The organs form a symbiotic relationship with phosphorescent bacteria that live with the fish. The bioluminescence can be turned on and off by movement of the jaw.

Pinecone fish can be found in areas that have caves, ledges and rocky bottoms.

 

 

Christmas Tree Worms - Photo credit: Flickr user Todd Barrow

Christmas Tree Worms – Photo credit: Flickr user Todd Barrow

Christmas Tree Worms are Christmas tree shaped worms that form burrows corals. The tentacles, which form the tree-like structures are used for feeding on plankton and to breathe.  These plumed creatures are a type of polychaete worm.

Christmas tree worms come in many colors and can be found all over the world. They feed by using their feathery appendages, called radioles to capture phytoplankton that floats by the “feathers.”

Christmas tree worms are easily disturbed and will quickly vanish into their burrows as shadows or larger marine life pass by. They return quickly and continue with their sedentary lifestyles in the coral.

 

 

 

Red Drum - photo credit Florida Fish and Wildlife

Red Drum – photo credit Florida Fish and Wildlife

One of our local favorites, the Red Drum is named as result of the drumming sound with speciliazed muscels that rub against their air bladder. Click here now to  hear the sound.

Red drum feed on crabs, shrimp and small fish. They are bottom feeders, and sometime expose their tails to the surface of the water while they feed.  This is known as “tailing”.

Red drum or redfish can be found in shallow waters of bays and bayous. They have characteristic black spots on the tail fin; the number varies on each fish. They are a delicious fish when cooked and put up a good fight when caught.

 

Marine Snow - Photo credit: NOAA

Marine Snow – Photo credit: NOAA

Marine Snow gets its name as a result of the fluffy materials that resemble snow falling from the sky. Marine snow is decaying material from plants and animals that have died in the oceans. Marine snow may also include sand, fecal matter and inorganic dust.

Just like snowflakes, marine snow grows as it floats to the ocean depths. Marine snow is consumed by scavengers that live along the deep sea floor bottom. Check out the video below showing the beauty of marine snow.

 

 

 

 

Jingle Shells - Photo Credit, Chris Verlinde

Jingle Shells – Photo Credit, Chris Verlinde

Jingle Shells get their name as a result of their shells that when shaken together make a jingle like sound. Jingle shells can be found along the beaches of NW Florida. The shiny iridescent shell is strong and very attractive. Many shell collectors use the shells to make jewelry and wind chimes.

Jingle shells are bivalves and live attached to hard surfaces, just like oysters.

Jingle shells are filter feeders, meaning water is filtered through their gills for plankton.

 

 

References and More Information:

http://www.edc.uri.edu/restoration/html/gallery/invert/jingle.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monocentridae

http://www.edc.uri.edu/restoration/html/gallery/invert/jingle.htm

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/marinesnow.html

http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=543#.UNDa6uT7K8A