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4-H StateMarine EcologyEventSpecies Identification Guide

Section 2: Marine and Coastal Invertebrates

Second EditionDeveloped byKaren Blyler, 4-H Marine Education Coordinator

This second edition is based on an earlier guide created byMaia McGuire, Florida Sea Grant AgentSt. Johns County, FL

Updated/Revised 3/07

About photo andartwork copyrights…• Some photographs used in this study guide

are copyrighted and are used by specialpermission. These photos may NOT beduplicated for other uses.

• Non-copyrighted photographs and artworkmay be used for educational purposes.Please contact Karen Blyler at 352-846-0996for more information.

• Some line drawings are from the National MarineFisheries Historical Image Collection, available throughhttp://www.photolib.noaa.gov. All photos withNOAA logo were obtained from this site.

• Fish artwork is by Diane Rome Peebles, courtesy of theFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.http://myfwc.com/

• Plant photos are used with permission of Center forAquatic and Invasive Plants, IFAS, University of Florida,Gainesville. http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu

• Sea turtle photos are used with permission ofCaribbean Conservation Corporation and Sea TurtleSurvival League.http://www.cccturtle.org/ccctmp.htm

Acknowledgements for artwork andphotos used in this guide Photographers acknowledgements

• A number of photos were taken by youth enrolled in theFlorida 4-H Youth Development Program. A big thanks goesto these wonderful young photographers for their assistanceand contribution.

• The 4-H Program would also like to thank the followingindividuals for permission to use their photographs:

– Karen Blyler, 4-H Youth Development– Maia McGuire, Florida Sea Grant– Chris Simoniello, Florida Sea Grant– Bryan Fluech, Florida Sea Grant– Sean Dowie, Professional photographer– Wilma Holley, Pinellas County Extension– Ken Nedimeyer, Marine Biologist– Jerome Sachs, UF Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation– Rich Abrams, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission– George Burgess, Florida Museum of Natural History– Angie Golubovich, Guana Tolomato Mantanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve

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How to use this slide show• The organisms in the slide show follow the same order as the

MEE Species List and Species Identification CompanionGuide (SICG). These two documents may be downloadedfrom the Florida 4-H website. http://florida4h.org/

• As you view each organism, read the information provided inthe SICG. This information will help you learn how eachorganism can be identified for the MEE Sections 1, 2, and 3.

• The “Did You Know?” sections of the SICG provideinteresting information about some plants and animals. Thisinformation forms the basis of Section 4 in the MEE now calledthe “Natural History Scavenger Hunt.” NOTE: This replaces the“Habitat ID” section of the MEE. For more information refer tothe MEE Guidelines and Rules found on the 4-H website.

Section 2Marine and

Coastal Invertebrate ID

Use your MEE Species Identification CompanionGuide to learn more about the followinginvertebrates and how to identify them.

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Clover-shapein center

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Comb rows

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Photo courtesy ofJerome Sachs

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Bay scallopAequipecten irradians

“ears”

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This mollusk isleft-handed

Egg cases

This mollusk is right-handed.

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Photo courtesy ofBryan Fluech

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4-H photo by J. Dovi Photo courtesy ofRich Abrams

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Youngcrab

rings on legs

“Tooth”

4-H photo byA. Holt

Square shell

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rostrum

“Claw”appendagewith “teeth”

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Photo courtesy ofChris Simoniello

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5 holes

Top view

Bottom view

Top view

Bottom view

Photo courtesy ofRich Abrams

Photo courtesy ofRich Abrams

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Brittle star Ophionereis reticulataSea cucumberPentacta pigmaea

Mangrove tunicateEcteinascidia turbinata

Leathery or pleated sea squirt Styela plicata