iseto's Identifications

Scientific name:Ensis directus

Common name:Atlantic Jackknife-clam

Location:Dead shell found in intertidal zone at Boothbay, ME, United States

Distinguishing feature:he Atlantic jackknife-clam has a moderately curved, elongated shell that is squared at both ends (Duane Sept, 2008). The exterior of the shell is white and the shell is covered in periostracum which is olive-brown to greenish-brown in colour. The hind end of the shell is where the hinge is located Duane Sept, 2008) and there are two teeth at the hinge (Gosner, 1978). The jackknife-clam can grow up to 10inces in length and it is approximately six times longer than it is wide

The Sea Vase is found of rocks, pilings, and other solid surfaces that occur in shallow water. They range from the Arctic to Rhode Island. The Sea Vase has five to seven muscle bands that are visible through its transparent test. Water is siphoned through the organism to collect food, which can be up to five gallons of water each day. They are transparent with rims of the siphoned that are yellow.
Source:
Marine Life of the North Atlantic by Andrew J Martinez

Fun Fact: The Sea Vase is human's closest related invertebrate due to similarities its embryonic development.
http://depts.washington.edu/fhlk12/links/StudentProjects/Tun.biology.html

The Forbes Sea Star is found in the intertidal zone, on rocky, sandy, and gravel bottoms. They range from Massachusetts to Texas (though are sometimes found in Maine). They usually have 5 arms, but can be found with four to seven, these arms are blunt at the tips. The central disc is moderate in size and considered dome shaped. The dorsal surface is very rough, with spines that are of various sizes. Each arm has four rows of tube feet. The species can be identified by their orange madreporite, and range in color from brown, orange, red, purple, and green.
Source:
Marine Life of the North Atlantic by Andrew J Martinez

Fun Fact:
The females will feel plump and spongy when their arms are filled with eggs, which they can produce as many as 250,000!!
https://www.acaquarium.com/animals/forbes-sea-star/

This gastropod is found on rockweed species and Knotted Wrack in the intertidal zone. They are small, round, and have a low spire. It's shell has four whirls with the last one being the largest and most visible. The color varies greatly from yellow to orange, black, brown or green. They are found from the Arctic to New Jersey.
Source: Marine Life of the North Atlantic by Andrew J Martinez

Fun Fact:
The main predator of the Flat Periwinkle is green crabs!
https://www2.clarku.edu/departments/biology/biol201/2008/jlouxturner/nahant_I_intro.htm

The Lady Crab is fround on sand, mud, or rock bottoms from the low tide line to 150 ft. They range from Cape Ann, MA to Gulf of Mexico. The carapace has five marginal teeth on either side of the eyes. Their legs are long in proportion to their width, and theur pincers are serrated, sharp, and very long. Their walking legs are flat and their last pair of legs are paddle-like to allow the crab to swim efficiently. They have a beautiful carapace coloration, with light gray to lavender with putple/brown speckles.
Source:
Marine Life of the North Atlantic by Andrew J Martinez

Fun Fact:
Predators of the Lady Crab are the Oyster toadfish, tautog, striped bass, American lobsters, and others.
https://www.roysfarm.com/lady-crab/

Dead Man's Fingers is found growing on solid substrate, from sub-littoral to 40 ft deep. They range from Cape Ann, MA to New Jersey. The algae grows in large, rope-like, branching strands that are spongy. They are green with light green tips.
Source:
Marine Life of the North Atlantic by Andrew J Martinez

Fun Fact:
Dead Man's Fingers is an invasive species, originating in Japan. It arrived in North America in 1957.
https://deadmansfingers.weebly.com/facts.html

This is the most common of the rockweeds and is the only one that has paired, pea-shaped air bladders located on either side of the ribbed thallus. A midrib on the thallus is characteristic of this species. They are from from the Arctic to North Carolina on rocky shores between the mid and lower intertidal.
Source: Marine Life of the North Atlantic by Andrew J. Martinez

Fun Fact: You can actually age rockweeds similarly to how you would age a tree with tree rings, by counting the segments between air bladders.
https://friendsofsearsisland.org/sears-island-rockweed/

The Sea Belt is found in subtidal regions from the Arctic to Cape Cod. They have a very large blade which is flat and longer than wide. It has a cylindrical stipe and claw like holdfast.
Source:
Marine Life of the North Atlantic by Andrew J Martinez

Seaweeds of Long Island Sound by Margaret Steward Van Patten

Fun Fact:
Kelp can grow as much as 18 inches in one day, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association
https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/sea-kelp-kids-11124.html

Shot Gun Kelp/Devil's Apron/Sea Colander is found in low tide to subtidal regions from the Arctic to Cape Cod. This kelp, which is correctly named, looks like it has been shot full of holes. It has a short stipe and an indistinct midrib. Their color is dark brown.
Source:
Marine Life of the North Atlantic by Andrew J Martinez

Fun Fact:
Many species of kelp are edible and delicious!
https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/sea-kelp-kids-11124.html

Common Names:
Location Found: found while diving at about 12ft, alive among other algal species
Habitat Types: typically grows as epiphyte on other algae and bivalves
Physical Description: balloon-like when they are young, collapsed with age, brown-yellow, grow up to 250 mm
Fun Fact: This species can attach to oyster shells, fill with air, and then float away taking the oyster with it (where they get their common name from)!
Source: The Seaweed Site: information on marine algae
http://www.seaweed.ie/descriptions/Colpomenia_peregrina.php

Common Name: Dead Man's Fingers
Location Found: found in an intertidal pool at low tide, was alive
Habitat Types: grows on solid substrate, from sub-littoral to 12m
Physical Description: grows in large, rope-like, branching strands that are spongy and feel like wet felt, green or yellow green, grows up to .9m
Fun Fact: This species is also known as "oyster thief" because it can interfere with normal development of some bivalves.
Source: 'Marine Life of the North Atlantic' - Andrew J. Martinez

Common Name: Irish Moss

Location: Found dead washed onshore at Canoe Beach, Nahant, MA.

Habitat: Subtidal zone on rocks.

Physical Description: Red to purple in color. Bushy, and branches into forks. Grows up to about 6 inches.

Fun Fact: Harvested for carrageenan, used to thicken food products.

Stewart Van Patten, Margaret. Seaweeds of Long Island Sound. (Connecticut: Connecticut Sea Grant College Program, 2009) 63.

Littorina obtusata, common name flat periwinkle, is a marine gastropod found in the littoral and sublittoral zones of rocky shores, usually on brown algae. It is typically distributed in the Baltic Sea, European waters from Norway to southern Spain, the Mediterranean Sea, and the northwest Atlantic Ocean along the Gulf of Maine. This periwinkle was found on a rock located in the intertidal zone of Canoe Beach in Nahant, MA. It had a shell length of approximately 1/2", was yellow in color, and had a flat spire which is characteristic to flat periwinkles. Members of this species found on sheltered shores are typically lighter with a more uniform color, while those found on more exposed shores are darker and checkered.

References:
Martinez, Andrew. Marine Life of the North Atlantic: Canada to Cape May. New York: Aqua Quest Publications, Inc. 1994.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Littorina_obtusata