SeaScapes Marine Animals
Northern Sea Star
Asterias vulgaris
Northern Sea Stars have five arms and a rough surface. They are commonly found in tidepools sticking to the tops and undersides of rocks.
Daisy Brittle Star
Ophiopholis aculeata
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Brittle stars called "brittle" because their arms can break very easily. They live in tidepools and in deeper water under rocks.
Green Sea Urchin
Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis
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Green sea urchins are related to sea stars. They look very different, however, because their bodies are covered with spines. These spines are not poisonous and can break off very easily.
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Northern Quahog
Mercenaria mercenaria
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Quahogs are the animals that make and live in these beautiful seashells people often find on beaches. If they are found in the water and both shells are attached to each other, there is most likely an animal still living inside.
Channeled and Knobbed Whelk
Busycon carica (photo)
A whelk is a snail. These are the largest snails that we have on our coast. They do not have teeth or claws, and unlike a hermit crab, these animals live their entire life in the same shell they are born in.
Spider Crab
Libinia emarginata
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Although they are called Spider crabs, these animals are not spiders at all.
Whereas spiders have six legs, spider crabs actually have eight legs.
Horseshoe Crab
Limulus polyphemus
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Horseshoe crabs are one of the oldest animals on earth. Although they look scary, there is absolutely nothing on their bodies that can hurt us -- they do not have teeth, their claws are weak, and their tail is not poisonous or spiky.
American Lobster
Homarus americanus
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Lobsters are strong, beautiful animals. They have a powerful tail to swim with and large claws in front to protect themselves with and to use for catching their prey.
Northern Puffer Fish
Sphoeroides maculatus
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Puffer fish can drink water into their bodies when they are scared and puff themselves up to a very large size to protect themselves. They can not breathe while they have this water inside of them.
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