A small nudibranch I found clinging to a piece of sea grass drifting along the Sanibel coast. After swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, we found several more clinging to sea grass and pieces of drifting weeds.
Showing posts with label Sanibel Island. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sanibel Island. Show all posts
Nudibranch
A small nudibranch I found clinging to a piece of sea grass drifting along the Sanibel coast. After swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, we found several more clinging to sea grass and pieces of drifting weeds.
Octopus
A large octopus found washed up on the beach in front of the Sanibel Lighthouse. He was about 14 inches of so and oozed a thick, black ink when we picked him up.
He must not have been dead very long because he still had some pigment in his skin, unlike the small specimens that we came across.
Small octopi
A trio of dead octopi washed ashore on the beaches of Sanibel Island. A man was carrying them in a large Pen Shell.
Hermit Crab
Giant dead Hermit Crab without a shell washed up on Sanibel Island. He was about the size of a Grapefruit. There were about a dozen or so of them on the beach without shells, all smaller than this one, but much bigger than any we've seen alive.
Box Fish
Specimen of Box Fish washed ashore on Sanibel. There were probably 40 - 50 of these dead on the beach along with an equal amount of dead Gulf Toadfish.
Stone Crab claw
Giant Stone Crab claw in the pile of creatures that were washed ashore on Sanibel Island.
Urchins
A pile of dead Sea Urchins and Sea Potatoes (the bleached, egg like specimens) found washed ashore on Sanibel Island.
The "Sea Potatoes" are a species of littoral sea urchin. They have spines similar to the Sea Urchin pictured but the spines are longer and appear more hairlike.
There were dozens of these washed up on the beach the week before Christmas 2010.
Stargazer
Some type of Stargazer. It was too badly decayed to make a good identification.
Found washed up on the beach in Sanibel about a half mile from the lighthouse.
Mantis Shrimp head
Business end of a dead Mantis Shrimp washed up on Sanibel Island after the December cold front we had.
They have spear-like arms like a Praying Mantis and eat fish and shrimp.
Mantis Shrimp
A pair of dead Mantis Shrimp washed up on Sanibel Island near the lighthouse. The larger one is about 10 inches long.
underside of horseshoe crab & red sponge
underside of horseshoe crab & red sponge, originally uploaded by Junior Naturalist.
Small Horseshoe Crab and fuzzy red sponge found washed up on Sanibel Island.
underside of Horseshoe Crab
underside of horseshoe crab, originally uploaded by Junior Naturalist.
Underside of a Horseshoe Crab found washed up on the beach in Sanibel Island. All of the Horseshoe Crabs that I have seen in Florida are much lighter in color than those that I have seen in the Northeast.
Lavender Sea Pork
Amaroucium stellatum
Found washed up on Sanibel Island. I've never found Sea Pork this color!
Found washed up on Sanibel Island. I've never found Sea Pork this color!
Orange Sea Pork
Sea Pork is a type of tunicate. It has the appearance and texture of rubber and can be found in many colors. It is sometimes mistaken for ambergris produced by sperm whales. Found on Sanibel Island.
Dead Sea Urchin
Dead sea urchin, originally uploaded by Junior Naturalist.
Sea Urchin washed up on the beaches of Sanibel Island. During certain times of the year the beaches are littered with these in all sizes. We sometimes find them in the tide pools alive.
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