Sea Creatures


Giant clams can be REALLY giant, five or six feet across. Here is a baby one that is about a foot and a half across, with blue lips. The lips come in all kinds of colors with variations. When then clams are really big and you see them while snorkeling, you can see their two openings in the lips, filtering things. If you touch them, the lips feel like our gums. This particular photo was of a clam taken at low tide when it was almost out of the water. I can't see how this is a good spot for him because as it gets bigger it will be out of the water in low tide and I can't see it surviving that way, but then, I am no expert.

Also pictured today is a weird little thing I've never seen before, stuck the to the rocks. On one side of the island these bug looking things were attached to the rocks at low tide, all over the place. The green border is mossy and spongy but they can move it and detach it from the rocks, so clearly it functions as locomotion and adherence, so I suspect it is similar to a starfish with suction cups on it. The bug like part is a hard exoskeleton and I have no idea what is inside. The other people on the island had no idea either. I've never seen it before, anywhere. If anyone knows what it is, please let me know!

Comments

snafu918 said…
This is totally unrelated to your trip but I don't have an email for you so I thought I'd throw this in a comment. Seems the Canadians think it's ok to fill their lakes with heavy metals and other pollutants from nearby mining operations. I thought this might interest you. I know I'm still a bit mad reading about it.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/16/condemned-lakes.html
Esmae said…
Thanks. I heard the story on NPR a few months back too, yuk! Thanks for the tip on Mortimer's too, we got to eat there one last time on Tuesday.
Anonymous said…
I think your mystery sea creature is a type of mollusks called "chiton".
Esmae said…
Thanks! I looked it up and I think you are right! Good to know. It's a weird looking creature.

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