Some species even inject a venom along with the spine which can require medical attention.Ī variety of crab species make up the marine creatures of tide pools, including shore crabs and hermit crabs (although hermits are not true crabs they are more closely related to squat lobster). Each of its spines is sharp as a needle and surprisingly fragile, allowing them to easily break off into the flesh of predators. Another echinoderm (related to starfish, sand dollars, and sea cucumbers) that grazes on algae on rocks and corals in tide pools and coral reefs.
If you try to reach out and touch the sea urchin in a tide pool, chances are pretty good you’ll regret it.
While most barnacles inhabit shallow waters in the intertidal zone, some species have been found at depths of 2,000 feet. You might think them related to bi-valves, as they often share space with mussels and clams on their rocky homes, but the barnacle is an arthropod more closely related to crabs and lobsters. All must find food and protect themselves from predators. At high tide, animals and plants must survive waves rolling in or crashing down. As the ocean water retreats at low tide, marine life must withstand hours exposed to the air or in shallow pools.
Perhaps the most ubiquitous marine creature of tide pools is the barnacle, whose numbers can swell into the hundreds in a relatively small area. A whole host of fascinating plants and animals survive in this rugged, changing seascape. Like corals (a close relation), many anemones harbor single-celled algae that provide much of their energy in exchange for protection in a harmonious symbiotic relationship. Anemones are filter feeders, catching tiny bits of plankton and even small snails and fish with their tentacles and bringing it into the central mouth. When the starfish isn’t stealing the show, the reaching tendrils of the anemone can be a fascinating thing to watch in a tide pool. Starfish are considered a keystone species in most marine ecosystems because the variety of their diet and ability to adapt to different environments results in greater species diversity.Īnemone via flickr/Oregon State University These invertebrates feed on microalgae, bivalves, snails, and sponges - all of which are readily available within the confines of a tide pool. Starfish via flickr/gina pinaĮchinoderms make up the majority of marine creatures of tide pools, and the starfish seems to always take center stage. While a variety of marine organisms call tide pools home both permanently and temporarily, we’re going to take a look at just five that are most commonly seen within these habitats. Crystal clear and teeming with life, the many pools along the Coast from Zinkwazi to Umdloti are a must-see for tourists, and a luxury right on our doorstep for local residents. These pools form primarily along rocky coastlines, where plenty of crags and crevices provide the perfect habitat for creatures large and small. The Dolphin Coast is famous for its tidal pools. Tide pools are quite literally what their names describe: pools that form in relation to the oceanic tide. Written in a direct, conversational style, this fascinating look at the tidal zone is complemented by 32 drawings and a glossary.One of the best ways to expose kids to marine life and the ocean environment is through tide pools. Life in a Tidal Pool introduces the reader to plankton and algae traces the life cycles of the jellyfish and its relative, the sea anemone and profiles a host of other marine creatures, both the familiar and the less well-known.Īuthors Alvin and Virginia Silverstein have created more than 70 science books for children and adults. Snails, clams, and sea worms populate these pages, alongside crabs that scuttle across the ocean floor with sponges clasped to their backs as camouflage, and starfish that turn their stomachs inside out to digest a mussel's soft body right inside the bivalve's own shell. This book offers close-up views of shoreline ecosystems that spotlight the amazing variety of tidal pool inhabitants and the ongoing drama of their struggles to adapt and survive. Snails, clams, and sea worms populate these pages, alongside crabs that scuttle across the ocean floor with sponges clasped t Tidal pools are miniature sea worlds, teeming with ever-changing life. Tidal pools are miniature sea worlds, teeming with ever-changing life.