Mercenaria

Mercenaria

Common Name:  Bivalve molluscs, small hard clams

 

Description: 

Shape and Size- Small, oval shaped

Skeleton- Exoskeleton

Symmetry- Bilateral

Features- Able to move freely, but rarely change their locality. The clam secretes enough calcium carbonate to create two plates, one larger than the other. 

Taxonomy: 

Kingdom- Animalia 

Phylum- Mollusca

Class- Bivalvia 

Order- Veneroida 

Family- Veneridae

Genus- Mercenaria 

Ecology:   

Most clams burrow into sand. They burrow as far as their siphons can reach. Adult clams need stimuli to create offspring. The male and female gametes are released through ejection from siphons. Clams are related to scallops and oysters.  

  

           

Bonus

Mutualistic Interaction

While searching for organisms we found an example of mutualistic interaction! We found a clam shell being used as a home for barnacles. Here's our proof:

Bonus

Photo of multiple species

 

Crab- Arthropoda

Starfish- Echinodermata

Cling fish-Chordata          

Brown algae-Rhododphyta

Bryazoa-Bryozoa 
Green algae-  Rhodophyta

Barnacles-  Arthropoda

Carcinus Maenas

Carcinus Maenas

Common Name: Green crab, shore crab

Description: 

Shape and Size- Up to 60mm long and 90mm wide. They can reach up to 101mm wide in BC. Green crabs have five short teeth along the rim behind each eye and three undulations between the eyes.

Skeleton- exoskeleton

Symmetry- bilateral

Features- Colors vary from green to brown, grey or red, due to local environment factors.

Taxonomy: 

kingdom- Animalia 

Phylum- Arthropoda 

Subphylum- Crustacea

Class- Malacostraca 

Order- Decapoda

Family- Portunidae

Genus- Carcinus    

Ecology: 

Carcinus maenas can live in all types of protected and semi protected marine habitats including, mud, sand, or rock substrates. Females can produce up to 185,000 eggs. Carcinus maenas feed on many organisms, mostly bivalve molluscs, polychaetes, and small crustaceans.  

      

Sea Snail

Sea Snail

Common Name: Snail

Description: Very small

Skeleton- exoskeleton

Symmetry- bilateral

Features- Shell, shell has become two hinged plates

Taxonomy:

Kingdom- Animalia

Phylum- Mollusca

Class- Gastropoda

Order- Pulmonata

Genus- Truncatella

Family- Juliidae  

Ecology- Inhabit rivers, ponds, and oceans. They live on and around deep sea mussels. The snail eats detritus and bacteria.

Brown Algae

Brown Algae 

Common names: Dead man's fingers 

Descriptions: Almost exclusively found in marine habitat.Brown algae have chlorophyll a and c. cell walls are composed of cellulose layer with polysaccharide. may reach up to 60 meters in length. and can form prominent underwater forests. 

 Taxonomy

kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Rhodophyta 

Class: lorideophycidae

Order: Halymeniales

Family: Halymeniaxeae

Genus:Prionitis 

Species: Lanceolata 

Ecology

Interesting features- fronds of Macrocysitis may grow as much as 50 cm per day and the stripes can grow up to 6 cm per day. 

relationships with other organisms- small species fead of algae in water and hide in algae.

green algae

Green Algae

Common name: Algae, sea lettuce, dead man's finger

Description: Has dark to light-green coloration which comes from having chloroplast A and B. capable of photosynthesis. 

1 micrometer in diameter and 60 meters in length.

Taxonomy

kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Rhodophyta 

Class: lorideophycidae

Order: Halymeniales

Family: Halymeniaxeae

Genus:Prionitis 

Species: Lanceolata 

Ecology

Interesting features- They live in large colonies. The pigment beta carotene, found in green algae, is used as a food colouring and also may have benefits as a cancer treatment. Green algae may play a role in reducing global warming. 

Heart Cockle

Clinocardium Nuttalii

Common names: Nuttalli's cockle, basket cockle, heart cockle 

Descriptions: Radial ribs,2 adductor muscle scars of nearly equal size. Has more than 30 ribs covering the entire valve. Hight up to 14 cm but usually less than 5 cm.

Radial symmetry 

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia 

Subkingdom: Bilateria 

Phylum: Molosca 

Class: Bilivra

Order: Veneroida

Family: Carloidea

Genus: Clinocardium 

Species: Clinocasdium nottallii 

Ecology

Relationship- Starfish ripping apart clams and eating it 

Interesting facts- pumps 2.51 litres of water per gram body weight. Cockle jumps away what predator is attacking  

Eel

 Eel

Common Name: American Eel

Description: Shape and size - They have elongated shaped bodies and are 6-12cm in length.
Symmetry: Bilateral
Skeleton: Endoskeleton
Features: They have pointed heads and their dorsal fins are usually continuous up to their anal fins. Their scales are thin and soft.

Taxonomy:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii           
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Anguillidae
Genus: Anguilla
Species: Eel

Ecology: Relationships with other organisms - Eels fear predation from predatory fish and eels prey on glass eels.  

Bryozoa

Bryozoa

Common Name: Moss Animals

Description: Shape and size - Can range from 0.5mm to meters in size. They have an irregular shape and are able to form colonies.
Features: Some encrust rocky surfaces, shells,or algae. A few to many million Bryozoas can form a colony.

Taxonomy: 
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Bryozoa

Ecology: Relationships with other organisms - Bryozoas can serve as a home to other bacterias. They are also filter feeders. They can also form a big enough colony to clog industrial water intakes, and grow on the bottom of ships.

Cling Fish

Cling Fish

Common Name: Fish

Description: Shape and size - These fish are small and are usually less than 6cm in length. They have flattened heads with tapering bodies.
Symmetry - Bilateral
Skeleton - Endoskeleton
Features - Their skin is smooth and scaleless. They also have a protective layer of mucus and have single dorsal fins.

Taxonomy:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Gobiesociformes      
Family: Gobiesocidae
Genus: Lepadogaster
Species: L.Lepadogaster

Ecology: Relationship with other organisms - They reduce predation from other organisms by attaching themselves to the rock walls of the ocean floor. 
Special Features - Their flattened bodies help reduce the drag of water and being dragged back into the sea.

Seaweed

Seaweed (Rhodophyta)

Common Names: Red algae

Description: Shape and size - It has an irregular shape and is generally flat. They can be from 6-10 inches long.

Features - They are red and brownish in colour.

Taxonomy:
Kingdom: Archaeplastida
Phylum:Cyanidiophyta
Class: Cyanidiophyceae
Order: Rhodellales                


Ecology: Relationship to other organisms - Seaweed provide shelter for small animals so they can hide from predators. Seaweed is also eaten by snails, fish and crabs.

Osprey

Osprey

Common Name: Hawk

Description: Shape and size - This is a large raptor. Its size would be between 60cm - 180cm in length. 

Skeleton- Endoskeleton

Symmetry- Bilateral

Features- Ospreys have a white head with a dark mask across the yes, reaching to the sides of the neck. They also have a short tail and long narrow wings with four long finger-like feathers. 

Taxonomy: 
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves                      
Order: Falconiformes            
Family: Pandionidae
Genus: Pandian
Species: P.haliaetus

Ecology: Relationship to other organisms- Ospreys have a predator-prey relationship with fish. They have an impact on the fish population due to this. Ospreys also host to many different species of parasites, including feather mites.

Dungeness Crab

Dungeness Crab

Common Names: Crab and Magister

Description: Shape and size - Typically grows up to 20cm in. They have a wide, long and hard shell.  

Skeleton - Exoskeleton

Symmetry - Bilateral

Features -  These crabs have 5 pairs of legs. They also use small appendages to pass the food particles into its mouth. The digestive system of this crab is called a "gastric mill", which is a collection of tooth-like structures.

Taxonomy: 

Kingdom: Animalia 

Phylum: Athropoda

Class: Malacostraca

Order: Decapoda 

Family: Cancridae

Genus: Metacarcinus

Species: M.Magister

Ecology: Relationship to other organisms- Dungeness Crabs and eel grass's relationship would be predator-prey.

Special Features- These crabs have a flap near their abdomen which allows them to protect their eggs by carrying them in the flap. These crabs have a strong nurturing instinct.  

Seagull

Seagull

Common Name: Gull

Description: Shape and size- Ranges from sizes small to large, 11 inches to 27 inches. They are between 15-30cm in height.

Skeleton - Endoskeleton

Symmetry - Bilateral

Features - Typically have larger gulls, long pink legs and medium or small Seagulls have black or red legs. Their necks are slender and their heads are rounded.

Taxonomy: 

Kingdom: Animalia 

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Charadriformes

Family: Laridae

Genus: Larus

Species: Larus occidentalis

Ecology: Relationships to other organisms- Seagulls have a predator-prey relationship with crabs. 

Special Features- Seagulls have a unique pair of glands above their eyes that allow them to drink freshwater and saltwater. Most animals are not able to do this. Seagulls are also very clever because they can learn, remember and even pass on behaviors. For example, they stamp their feet to imitate rainfall to trick earthworms to come to the surface.

Butter Clam

Saxidonus Giganteus 

Common names: Butter Clam 

Description: Average of 3 inches in length.Light gray and white  coloration and smooth ridges. Inside its flesh is totally white. Usually found buried in a depth of one foot. 

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Mullusca

Class: Bivaria

Order: Veneroida

Famoly: Venerpida

Genus: Saxiupmus

Species: Gigantea 

Ecology

Interesting features- Has the ability to sequester paralytic shellfish poison in its syphon and store them for as long as two years. 

Butter clams eat plankton sometimes. 

Flattop Crab

Petrolisthes Eriomerus

name: Flattop crab 

Descriptions: They have large pinchers. Blue thumb joints.

Carapace length up to 1.9 cm.Antenna flaggellum is greenish 

greenish green.

Skeleton: Exoskeleton. 

Bilateral symmetry 

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animelia 

Phylum: Arthropoda

Subphylum: Eumala costraca 

Class: Malacostraca

Order: Decapoda

Family: Porcellaniae

Genus: Pertrolisthes 

Species: Pieronerus 

Ecology

Interesting features- crabs of this species sometimes live 

together in groups of males, females, and young. 

Dominant males doing most of the breading. females have 

little resistance to desiccation. 

Greenmark Hermit Crab

Pagurus Caurinus 

Common names: Greenmark Hermit Crab 

Description: 0.5 inches across carapace. It has white banded legs and a orange banded  antenna. The carapace is smooth. The lateral parts are covered with soft setat, and the base is covered by the carapace.  

Skeleton- endoskeleton 

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Malacostraca 

Order: Decapoda

Family: Paguridae

Genus:Pagurus

Species: Pagurus 

Ecology:

Relationship with other organisms- they mostly prey on small animals and scavenge carrion.

Interesting facts- Females incubate fertilized eggs which remain attached to the swimming legs (pleopods) until hatching. 

Bonus

Predation

 

We managed to capture a picture of predation! While some of the students were flipping rocks, they found some fish eggs. Leaving them exposed caused crows to fly down and start feeding on them. Here is our proof:



Barnacle

Barnacle

 

Common Name: Acorn Barnacle

Description: Shape and size - Gets up tp 8 millimeters in diameter, and the shell is brown - grey colour

Skeleton - Exoskeleton

Symmetry - Asymmetrical

Features - They have pink, claw - like feet called "cirri" come out of the barnacles when feeding. Barnacles range from Alaska to Mexico.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Maxillopoda

Order: Sessilia

Family: Balanidae

Genus: Balanus

Species: Nubilus

Ecology: Relationship to other organisms - They attach themselves to other marine life, and rocks. Also, they feed on small floating organisms.

Interesting Features - The male and female barnacles have both sex organs, and they breathe through their feet!

Mussel

Mussel

 

Common Name: Mussel

 

Description: size - They can get up to 40 mm in 12-15 months.

Skeleton - Exoskeleton

Symmetry - Bilateral Symmetry

Features - Mussels move around by using a foot. A foot is a large organ that pulls them around the ocean floor. Also, they feed by filtering seawater.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Mollusca

Class: Bivalvia

Order: Mytiloida

Family: Mytilidae

Genus: Mytilus

Species: Californianus

Ecology: Relationship to other organisms - They feed off of plankton and other tiny sea animals. They are fed on by Crabs, Otters, Muskrats, Raccoons, and Skunks.

Interesting Features - They live in large clumps, called "beds" which can stretch for a mile or more. Their shells have been found at ancient sites being used as tools and for jewellery.

Sand Dollar

Sand Dollar

 

Common Names: Pacific Sand Dollar, Common Sand Dollar.

 

Description: Size and Shape - Usually about 3 inches in diameter and 3/8 of an inch thick. They're shaped like a big coin.

Skeleton - Endoskeleton

Symmetry - Bilateral symmetry

Features - They have prickly skin. The anus is on top of the sand dollar and the mouth is on the bottom.

 

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Echinodermata

Class: Echinoidea

Order: Clypeasteroidea

Family: Dendrasteidae

Genus: Dendraster

Species: Excentricus

 

Ecology: Relationship to other organisms - They feed on plankton, crab larvae, and amphipods.

Interesting Features - Sand Dollars jaws have five teethlike sections to grind up plants and animals. It can take up to two days for the food to digest. They can live 6-10 years. Also, California Sheepheads, Starry Flounders and large Pink Sea Stars prey on Sand Dollars.

Shrimp

Shrimp



Common Names: Brown shrimp, Common shrimp, Bay shrimp, Sand shrimp.

Description: Size and shape - Usually from 30-50 millimeters (1.2-2.0 inches). They're a sandy brown colour which changes with their environment.

Skeleton - Exoskeleton

Symmetry - Bilateral Symmetry

Features - They can live in fresh water and salt water, including lakes and ocean coral reefs. Larger species of shrimp are called Prawns.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Malacostraca

Order: Decapoda

Family: Penaeidae

Genus: Penaeus

Species: Aztecus

Ecology: Relationship to other organisms - Humans do commercial shrimp catching and brown shrimp play a big role in that. Brown shrimp are a source of food to bigger marine animals.

Interesting Features - This shrimp eats both plant and animal material. Adults can reach between 7-9 inches. Males are smaller than females. 

Crow

Crow

 

Common Name: American Crow, Common Crow

 

Description: Size - The crow is 18 inches long with a 35-40 inch wingspan, it also has long legs

Skeleton - Endoskeleton

Symmetry - Bilateral Symmetry

Features - Usually lives for around 7 years, though some have lived to 14 in the wild. There are over 45 species of crows.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Corvidae

Genus: Corvus

Species: Brachyrhynchos

Ecology: Relationship to other organisms - Crows live in all types of trees. They are known to eat dead carcasses off the road and sidewalk, therefore feeding off of other organisms and helping humans keep the streets clean.

Interesting Features - Crows mate in the winter. Both male and female build the nest either high in a tree or on the ground. Males and females take turns sitting on the eggs to keep them warm. A flock of crows is called a "Murder."

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

 

 

Common Names: American Eagle, Bald Eagle, White headed Eagle

 

Description: Size - Can have a body length of 70-102 centimeters (28-40 inches). Typical wingspan is between 1.8 and 2.3 meters (5.9 and 7.5 feet). The eagle usually weighs between 3 and 6.3 kilograms (6.6 and 13.9 pounds).

Skeleton - Endoskeleton

Symmetry - Bilateral Symmetry

Features - The Bald Eagle is endothermic. Also, female Eagles are larger than males.

 

Taxonomy:

 

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Falconiformes

Family: Accipitridae

Genus: Haliaeetus

Species: Leucocephalus

 

Ecology: Relationship to other organisms - They use Eastern White Pines, Bigtooth Aspens, and Virginia Pines to build shelter in.

Interesting Features - Bald Eagles can fly about 65 miles per hour in regular flight, and up to 200 miles per hour in a dive. They can swim!! Also, their nests can be up to 9 feet across.