Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

Whelks

These rocky-shore scavengers hunt

for dead or dying animals. They are

relatives of land snails and find prey by

“smelling” the water, which they draw

in through a periscope-like siphon.

ChiTon

Chitons are also

called “coat of mail

shells” because they look

like chainmail armor.

each chiton has an eight-

part shell set into its broad,

fleshy body. it can grip

a rock very firmly. These

mollusks feed on small algae

from the rock surface.

RoCky shoRes

Rocks provide a firm surface for seaweed,

and many creatures shelter among

the fronds. But the weeds still face

problems. Waves smash them against

the hard stony surface, and they are

regularly submerged by salt water, and then left

high and dry at low tide. shellfish cling to the

rocks, and a variety of fish and crabs adapt

themselves to the ever-changing conditions,

hiding from predators in holes and crevices.

salT maRshes

salt marshes form at the back of the shore,

where the tide floods flat areas of land

near a river’s mouth. Plants such as

cordgrass, glasswort, eelgrass, sea club

rush, and sea starwort are able to

survive in the salt that builds up in the

soil. Birds such as geese, gulls, and

terns can feed on salt marshes all year

round, especially in the winter, when

inland areas are frozen solid. some birds

use salt marshes as summer breeding

grounds, some as stopovers while migrating.

seashore wildlife

459

anemones

These jellyfish relatives use

their tentacles to sting small

fish, shrimps, and other

creatures and draw them

into the body cavity through

the mouth. When the tide

goes out, the tentacles fold

inward for protection.

Cliffs

only a few very agile land

animals, such as snakes, can

reach precarious cliff ledges.

so the ledges are safe nesting

sites for a variety of birds,

from gannets to gulls,

razorbills, and cormorants.

a few plants, like thrift

(“sea pink”), also gain a

foothold, provided they

can withstand strong

winds and salty spray.

seaWeed

There are three main

kinds of rocky-shore

seaweeds, also known as algae:

brown, red, and green. They do

not have roots, stems, or leaves.

instead, most anchor themselves

to the rocks by structures called

holdfasts. The larger brown

and red weeds have stemlike

stipes, ending in leaflike blades

known as laminae or fronds.

Some large seaweeds are

called kelps, such as sugar

kelp and oarweed.

Branching holdfast

provides shelter for

small animals

Red

seaweed

Periwinkles seal themselves to

the rock with mucus as the tide

retreats, to keep from losing

water and drying out.

Barnacle

manTis shRimP

The mantis shrimp, a crustacean, hides in a hole waiting

for prey. When a fish or other victim approaches,

the shrimp stuns it by a lightning blow

from its club-shaped

second “leg.”

sea sTaR

The biscuit sea star

feeds on shellfish,

sea squirts, corals,

sponges, and other

animals. it glides

along on dozens

of tiny, sucker-tipped

hydraulic tube feet

located on its underside.

Find out more

Corals, anemones,

and jellyfish

Crabs and other crustaceans

fish

lake and river wildlife

oceans and seas

ocean wildlife

shells and shellfish

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