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Ocean CreaturesCritters from our San Luis Obispo County coastal waters for you to enjoy!These animals are a sampling of creatures who live right here in our water. Some may make you want to take up diving just to get a live look - others may scare you from the water. Either way, the ocean needs to be protected and they are just a few of the reasons why. Sarcastic Fringehead Fish (Neoclinus blanchardi)The photo is of a Sarcastic Fringehead Fish living in an old pipe under a pier in Morro Bay. It is about 10 inches long, and is agressive and will charge anything coming near its burrow. The growths on its head are called cirri and they mimic the algae growth on the pipe. This fish eats small invertebrates and bolts out of its hiding place to catch them. After feeding it will back up into its pipe home again. Interestingly, their mouths are about half as wide as their bodies are long. he sarcastic part of their common name is attributed to their temperament and the fringehead to the distinctive appendages over their eyes. They live in various kinds of shelters, such as empty clam or snail shells, abandoned burrows, and cracks in clay or rock outcroppings. They also find human trash such as cans and bottles satisfactory as a home worth protecting. Whatever the shelter used, a sarcastic fringehead claims it as its home territory, fiercely defending it against intruders. The larger the container, the larger the fringehead occupying it. Spanish Shawl Nudibranch (Flabellina iodinea)The Spanish shawl is a species of nudibranch. This colorful sea slug is commonly found in the Pacific Ocean from the Galapagos Islands to British Columbia in Canada, where it feeds on small coral polyps. This gives the nudibranch its bright colors. The red appendages on its back are its gills, which it uses to extract oxygen from the seawater. White-spotted Rose AnemoneSometimes called a Strawberry Anemone, this beautiful creature can grow to about 100mm in diameter. It can be found in a variety of habitats, including rocky shores, kelp forests, and attached to rocks, pilings, and marina floats. It feeds on small prey, including small fishes and sea stars. The tentacles surrounding its mouth contain nematocycts, which function by a chemical or physical trigger that causes the ejection of a barbed, poisoned hook that can kill or paralyze its prey or predators. Jeweled-top Snail (Calliostoma annulatum)At home in the middle level of the kelp forest, this tiny invertebrate eats algae, hydroids, and bryozoans. They range along our coast from southern Alaska to Baja and grow to only about 1".
Images and information provided by the Central Coast Extension of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photos by Terry Lilley with Sue Sloan doing the lighting. Terry is sharing his photos to encourage interest in the marine sanctuary effort. Contact Carol to be added to the "Critter of the Week" email list. |
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