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4-H State Marine Ecology EventSpecies Identification Guide

JUNIOR VERSIONSecond EditionSecond EditionDeveloped by Karen Blyler, 4-H Marine Education Coordinator

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

Updated/Revised 3/09

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

are copyrighted and are used by special permission. These photos may NOT be duplicated for other uses.

• Non-copyrighted photographs and artwork may be used for educational purposes. ay be used o educat o a pu posesPlease contact Karen Blyler at 352-846-0996 for more information.

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• Some line drawings are from the National Marine Fisheries Historical Image Collection, available through http://www.photolib.noaa.gov. All photos with

Acknowledgements for artwork and photos used in this guide

http://www.photolib.noaa.gov. All photos with NOAA logo were obtained from this site.

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

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

• Sea turtle photos are used with permission of Caribbean Conservation Corporation and Sea Turtle Survival League. http://www.cccturtle.org/ccctmp.htm

Photographers acknowledgements

• A number of photos were taken by youth enrolled in the Florida 4-H Youth Development Program. A big thanks goes

h d f l h h f hto these wonderful young photographers for their assistance and contribution.

• The 4-H Program would also like to thank the following individuals 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– 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 Companion G id (SICG) Th t d t b d l d dGuide (SICG). These two documents may be downloaded from the Florida 4-H website. http://florida4h.org/

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

Th “Did Y K ?” ti f th SICG id• The “Did You Know?” sections of the SICG provide interesting information about some plants and animals. This information forms the basis of Section 4 in the MEE now called the “Natural History Scavenger Hunt.” NOTE: This replaces the “Habitat ID” section of the MEE. For more information refer to the MEE Guidelines and Rules found on the 4-H website.

Section 1Marine and

Coastal Plant IDUse your MEE Species Identification

Companion Guide to learn more about theCompanion Guide to learn more about the following plants and how to identify them.

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Sea lettuce Ulva lactuca

Sargassum weed Sargassum sp.

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Red algae Gracilaria sp.

Manatee grass

Syringodium filiforme

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Turtle grass Thalassia testudinum

Sawgrass Cladium jamaicensePhoto by A. Murray Copyright Univ. Fla.

Photo by A. Murray Copyright Univ. Fla.

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Smooth cord grass Spartina alterniflora

Photo by A. Murray Copyright Univ. Fla.

Salt meadow cord grass Spartina patens

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Photo Copyright Univ. Fla.

Needle rush Juncus roemerianus

Southern glasswort Salicornia virginica

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Sea oxeye or Sea daisy yBorrichia frutescens

Red mangrove Rhizophora mangle

Prop rootsSeed with root

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Black mangroveAvicennia germinans

Pneumatophores

White mangrove Laguncularia racemosa

Reddish petiole with salt glands

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4-H photo by A. Davis

4-H photo by S. Russell

Sea oats Uniola paniculata

Railroad vine Ipomoea pes-caprae

4-H photo by L. Hagenby L. Hagen

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Sea GrapeCoccoloba uvifera

4-H Photo by L. Hagen

4-H Photo by L.M. Herbert

Sea purslane Sesuvium portulacastrum

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Firewheel or Indian blanket Gaillardia pulchella 4-H Photo by

M. Leach

Dune Sunflower Helianthus debilis4-H Photo by

E. Leach

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Prickly pear cactus Opuntia compressa

Cabbage palm Sabal palmettoSabal palmetto

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Sand Bur or sandspur Cenchrus tribuloidesCenchrus tribuloides

Photos by V. Ramey Copyright Univ. Fla.

Australian pine Casuarina spp.

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Brazilian pepper tree Schinus terebinthifolius

Photos by A. Murray Copyright Univ. Fla.

Section 2M i dMarine and

Coastal Invertebrate ID

Use your MEE Species Identification Companion Guide to learn more about the followingGuide to learn more about the following invertebrates and how to identify them.

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Tube sponge

Callyspongia sp.

Basket sponge Hircinia canaliculate

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Sheepswool sponge Hippospongia lachne

Portuguese Man-of-war

Physalia sp.

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Common or moon jellyfish

Clover-shape in center

Aurelia aurelia

Sea whip

Leptogorgia sp.

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S fSea fan

Gorgonia sp.

Giant (pink-tipped) sea anemone Condylactus gigantea

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Brain coral

Diploria labyrinthiformis

Elkhorn coral Acropora palmata

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Staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis

Fire or Bristle worms

Hermodice sp. or Eurythoe sp.

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Christmas tree worm Spirobranchus giganteusgiganteus

Photo courtesy of Jerome Sachs

Limpets

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Bay scallop Aequipecten irradians

“ears”

Atlantic ribbed mussel Geukensia demissa

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P h llPen shell

Atrina rigida

Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica

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Sunray venus Macrocallista nimbosa

Giant Atlantic cockle Dinocardium robustum

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Coquina clam Donax variabilis

Florida horse conch Pleuroploca gigantica

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FloridaFlorida crown conch Melongena corona

Pink or Queen conch

Strombus gigasg g

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Banded tulip Fascioleria hunteria

Atlantic moon snail or Shark’s eye

Polineces duplicatus

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Egg cases

Lightning whelkLightning whelk Busycon contrarium

This whelk is left-handed

Common octopus Octopus vulgaris

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Squid Loligo pealei

Acorn barnacle Balanus sp.

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Horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus

Green-striped hermit crab Clibanarius vittatus

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Atlantic decorator crab Stenocianops sp.

Blue crab Callinectes sapidus

4-H photo by J. Dovi

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Spider crab Mithrax spinosissimus

Photo courtesy of Rich Abrams

Young stone crab

rings on legs

St bStone crab

Menippe mercenaria

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Mud crab Panopeus sp. “Tooth”

Ghost crab Ocypode quadrata

4-H photo by A. Holt

Square shell

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Arrow crab (Also known as False or Gulf Arrow crab)

Metoporhaphis calcarata and NOT Stenorhynchus seticornis

Fiddler crab Uca sp.

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Mole crab or sand flea

Emerita talpoidap

rostrum

White shrimp Penaeus setiferus

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Spiny lobsterp y

Panulirus argus

Photo courtesy of Chris Simoniello

Variegated urchinLytechinus sp.

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Pencil urchin Eucidaris tribuloides

5 holes

Keyhole sand dollar

Mellita quinquiesperforata

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Sea star

Echinaster sp.

Brittle star Ophionereis reticulata

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Sea cucumberPentacta pigmaea

Leathery or pleated sea squirt Styela plicata

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Section 3Marine andMarine and

Coastal Vertebrate ID

Use your MEE Species Identification Companion Guide to learn more about the followingGuide to learn more about the following vertebrates and how to identify them.

Southern stingray

Dasyatis sabina

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Bonnethead sharkSphyrna tiburo

Nurse shark Ginglymostoma cirratum

Photo courtesy of Jerome Sachs

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Sheepshead porgy

Archosargus probatocephalusprobatocephalus

Spot above pectoral fin on lateral lineArtwork by Diane

Rome Peebles, courtesy of FWCC

Pinfish Lagodon rhomboides

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Artwork by Diane Rome Peebles,

courtesy of FWCC

Many tiny

Atlantic croaker Micropogonias undulatus

barbels under chin

Artwork by Diane Rome Peebles,

courtesy of FWCC

“Canine-like” teeth

Spotted seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

teeth

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Striped burrfishp

Chilomycterus schoepfi

Toadfish Opsanus sp.

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Artwork by Diane Rome Peebles,

courtesy of FWCC

Mullet

Mugil cephalus

Artwork by Diane Rome Peebles,

courtesy of FWCCSpines!

Hardhead catfishArius felis

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Artwork by Diane Rome Peebles,

courtesy of FWCC

Black seabass

Centropristis striata

Artwork by Diane Rome Peebles,

courtesy of FWCC

Gag grouper

Mycteroperca microlepis

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Artwork by Diane Rome Peebles,

courtesy of FWCC

Grey snapperLutjanus griseus Rounded

anal fin

Artwork by Diane Rome Peebles,

courtesy of FWCC

Jack crevalleCaranx hippos

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Artwork by Diane Rome Peebles,

courtesy of FWCC

LookdownSelene vomer

Artwork by Diane Rome Peebles,

courtesy of FWCC

Great barracuda Sphyraena barracuda

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Artwork by Diane Rome Peebles,

courtesy of FWCC

Triggerfish Balistes sp.

Queen angelfish Holocanthus ciliaris

crown

yellow tail

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Lined seahorse

Hippocampus erectus

Pipefish

Sygnathus sp.

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Gulf flounder Paralichthyes albigutta

Has 3 distinct spots

Artwork by Diane Rome Peebles,

courtesy of FWCC

Artwork by Diane Rome Peebles,

courtesy of FWCC

Snook Centropomus undecimalis

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Batfish Ogcocephalus sp.

White grunt Haemulon plumeriArtwork by Diane

Rome Peebles, courtesy of FWCC

Orange inside mouth

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Red drum or Redfish Sciaenops ocellatus

Spot

Artwork by Diane Rome Peebles,

courtesy of FWCC

Artwork by Diane Rome Peebles,

courtesy of FWCC

Dolphin fish (Mahi mahi) Coryphaena hippurus

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Loggerhead turtleCaretta caretta

Photo courtesy of Chris Simoniello Photo courtesy of Jerome Sachs

Photo courtesy of Jerome Sachs

Hawksbill turtle

EretmochelysEretmochelys imbricata

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American alligatorAlligator mississippiensis

Photo courtesy of Wilma Holley

4-H photo by E. Leach

American crocodile CrocodylusCrocodylus acutus

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Brown pelicanPelecanus occidentalis

4-H photo by E. Leach

Anhinga Anhinga anhinga

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4-H photo by M. Leach

Photo courtesy ofSean Dowie

Roseate spoonbill Ajaia ajaja

Great blue heron Ardea herodias

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White patch b hi d

Yellow-crowned night heronNycticorax violaceus

4-H Photo by S. Russell

behind eye

Great egretCasmerodius albus

4-H photo by S. Russell

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Photo courtesy of Sean Dowie

White ibis

Eudocimus albus

Frigate bird or Man-O-War bird

Fregata magnificens

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Laughing gull Larus atricilla

Ring-billed gullLarus delawarensis

4-H photo by L. Hagen

4-H Photo by E. Leach

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4-H Photo by E. Leach

Bald eagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus

Osprey Pandion haliaetus

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Black skimmerRynchops niger

4-H photo by L. Hagen

American oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus

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femalemale

Redwing blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus

Wood stork Mycteria americana

4-H Photo by K. Yee

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Manatee Trichechus manatus 4-H Photo by J. Bland

Bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatus

Photo courtesy of Angie Golubovich

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Humpback whale

Photo courtesy of Angie Golubovich

Humpback whaleMegaptera novaeangliae

Photo courtesy of Angie Golubovich