plant/animal reference) to get a bigger picturePossible Noctiluca Bloom | Cornet Bay team photo 2010 | Brooding anemone on eelgrass |
Jingle shell | Brittle star ray |
Team Captain Jill Hein brought in a team of five to look at Cornet Bay on May 27th. Two new Beach Watchers from the Class of 2010 took part. In spite of overcast skies and chilly temperatures, they had a good time and saw a nice variety of organisms. In addition to the little Hemigrapsus shorecrabs they found at upper levels, they also documented much larger helmet (Telmessus cheiragonus), Dungeness, and red rock crabs down among the eelgrass. They spotted small brooding anemones (Epiactis sp.) attached directly to the eelgrass and a jingle shell adhered to the inside of an empty cockle shell. The team also noted evidence of brittle stars in an unattached ray that initially had them scratching their heads and wondering if it might be a polychaete. There appeared to be a small Noctiluca (“sea sparkle”) bloom in progress with patches of tomato soup colored water observed.