Transcript Slide 1 - ISD 622

Slideshow # 3
Caribbean Invertebrates
2008 Edition
Phylum Molluska:
• Bilateral Symmetry
• Body has:
– visceral mass (organs)
– mantle, adapted for respiration or shell
secretion
– one or more muscular “feet” for mobility
• True coelom in visceral mass
Rough File Clam - bivalve
• tucked into
crevasses in
reef
• snap shut if
threatened
• filter feeders
Amber Penshell - bivalve
• closes when
approached
• shells often
overgrown
• bivalve mollusk
• filter feeder
Chitons - Polyplacophora
• most species
graze algae
from rocks
• shell divided into
seven separate
plates
Queen Conch - Gastropod
Flamingo Tongue Snail Gastropod
• found feeding on
gorgonians
• spotted mantle
will retract if
disturbed
• poison is stolen
from gorgonians
Reef Octopus - Cephalopod
• only likely to
come out at night
• masters of quick
color change
• approach gently,
it may play!
Reef Squid - Cephalopod
• colors shimmer
over skin
• often in schools
• may approach
you closely if
you’re calm
Lettuce Nudibranch
• skin ruffles on
back (gills) look
like lettuce
• color variable
• feed on algae
Phylum Echinodermata
• Many have hard endoskeleton just
beneath the surface
– spines may penetrate out
• Radial Symmetry as adults
• Most have arms radiating from central disk
Basket Star
• daytime appearance
• catches plankton with
arms, passes it into
mouth in center
• unrolls at night 
Black and White Crinoid
Golden Crinoid
• 20 arms for
feeding
• body hidden in
reef
Brittle star
Sea Biscuit; Heart Sea Urchin
• look for ½ inch
pea crab in spines
• most likely on
sand at night
Pencil Sea Urchin
Long-spine Sea Urchin
Sea Urchin
Sea Cucumber; Tiger’s Tail
• tail anchored in reef, mouth end scavenges
• 3 feet – 6 feet long
Sea Cucumber; Donkey Dung
Phylum Arthropoda
Class Crustacea
• Hard exoskeleton
• Jointed appendages
Thor Anemone Shrimp
Spotted Cleaner Shrimp
Banded Coral Shrimp
Body length
Pederson’s Cleaning Shrimp
• Common in
corkscrew
anemone
• may clean your
hand if you’re
patient
Arrow Crab
• Spider-like
• Long rostrum
(snout)
• Eyes at base of
rostrum
• Purple chelipeds
Body length
Channel Clinging Crab (king crab)
Nimble Spray Crab
• Fluorescent green
line
• Hide under
boulders or sea
urchins when
approached
Hermit Crab
Spiny Lobster
Spanish/Slipper Lobster
• Only likely to
see one on a
night dive
• Slipper shaped?
Worms
• Most or all of these are in the Annelid
phlya, with segmented bodies
Christmas Tree Worm
• 2 spiral crowns
per worm
• crowns serve as
gills and feeding
appendages
Bristle worm
Horseshoe Worm
uses fronds for
feeding and
respiration
Spaghetti Worm
• Multiple white feeding
tentacles
• Retracts when
disturbed
Cnidarians
• All have:
– tentacles
– stinging cells
– a gut with one opening
– medusa or polyp body form
Bleached Brain Coral
10 ft
Brain Coral
10 ft
Elkhorn coral
• Don’t get hung up on these in shallow water!
• 3 feet to 12 feet tall/wide
Great Star Coral
2-8 feet across
Staghorn coral
1-8 feet across, home to damselfish
Finger and Pencil Corals
•
•
•
•
Finger: 3’ – 160’ deep
Pencil usually deep
Finger whitish
Pencil yellowish
1 foot to 4 feet across
Lettuce Coral
• colonies vary in
shape
• all display ridged
surface
Flower Coral
• large coralites on
individual stalks
• polyps extended
Shelf Coral
• 1 foot to 5 feet wide
• Several corals take this form on the wall…
growing to light
Fire Coral
• White, filamentous
edges
• May take many
different shapes
• The COLORS are
the key!
Cassiopeia (Mangrove Jelly)
Sea Wasp – generally encountered 1’-10’ deep
Avoid stings, but if stung, treat as follows:
•
•
•
•
apply meat tenderizer & vinegar paste
or baking soda paste
shave area
DON’T rinse with soap or fresh water
(causes unfired nematocysts to fire)
wash gear in salt water and allow to dry
Portuguese Man-of-War
Tentacles 10-30
feet long!!
Float size
Sea Fan; Gorgonian
• 2 feet – 6 feet long
• wave towards &
away from shoreline
with surge
Sea Plume; Gorgonians
• 1 foot – 7 feet tall
Sea Rod; Gorgonian
• ½ foot – 7 feet tall
Corkscrew Anemone
Giant caribbean anemone
Sponges
•
•
•
•
Filter feeders –important for water clarity
No true tissues
Sessile as adults
Ciliated, free-swimming larvae
Netted Barrel Sponge
2-5 feet across
Pink Azure Vase Sponge
• look inside
for brittle
stars
Strawberry Vase Sponge
Encrusting Sponge
Yellow Tube Sponge
2-4 feet across
Purple Tube Sponge
• 2 feet – 6 feet long
Touch-me-not Sponge
• touch can result in
burning, numbness,
and rash
• treat with vinegar, then
meat tenderizer, then
cortisone ointment
Rope Sponges
• only in calm,
deep water
• many colors and
species
1-8 feet long
Oddballs
Hawksbill sea turtle
• Hawks beak in mouth
region
• Serrated edges on
posterior of shell
1 foot to 4 feet long
Tunicate
1/2-3/4 in.