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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Turnagain_Arm_mudflats.jpg

Habitat

• Salinity: Ranges from 40ppt to 5ppt, the tides, weather, the salinity of the coastal ocean and the elevation all has an effect of the salinity of mudflats.

• Temperature: During a tidal emersion, long period of time of very low tides, temperature can change rapidly with daily ranges up to 68°F and seasonal ranges between 32°F and 95°F. If high temperatures occurs during strong winds, windblown erosion can take place.

• Sunlight: With the large amount of sediments, there is not a lot of light coming into the water, instead the exposed mudflat surface at low tide receives direct sunlight essential for photosynthesis.

• Tides: Mudflats are typically in areas with tidal waters that flow slow, they are covered at high tides and exposed during low tides.

Habitat • Productivity: Plant and marine accommodation

• Dissolved Oxygen: The fine sediments in mudflats leave little room for oxygen to spread so most animals live under the mud and use a tube to get oxygen from the surface. When temperature and salinity is high, there is less dissolved oxygen and when the water is cold and salinity low, there is more dissolved oxygen.

• pH: During monsoon seasons results in highly variable and acidic conditions (pH 4), the pH is relatively stable (pH 8)

• Primary Productivity: Mudflats are very important habitats that support huge numbers of birds and fish. Plant life like eelgrass, diatoms, and phytoplankton are the main primary producers for mudflats making them an essential part of the mudflats food chain.

• Currents: Highest tidal is 9.1 ft (7:48 and 8:21), lowest tidal is 1.2 ft (2:04)

Nutrition

Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Featured_picture_candidates/Common_clam_worm

Nereis succinea (The Common Clam worm)

• Feeds when covered by saltwater to avoid being eaten by birds

• Absorb organic compounds, like amino acids, through their skin

• Able to regenerate body parts • Uses proboscis to catch prey and push

towards their mouth

• Predator consumes large amounts of food

• Crusher claw that allows the crab to feed on other organisms with hard shells

• Shredder claw that allows the crab to shred their food into smaller parts

Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/26024135586

Crepidula fornicata (Common Slipper Shell)

• A filter feeder • Gathers water in the shell and over

the gills to eat food particles in water • Mucus on the gills traps food

particles and mixes with the mucus, the snail will then eat the mixture

Image source: http://www.ictioterm.es/nombre_cientifico.php?nc=250

Carcinus maenas (Green Crab)

Excretion

Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ken-ichi/4161777007/

Venerupis philippinarum (Japanese littleneck clam)

• A filter feeder • Breathe and eat through their

siphon, neck • They also expel excess water

and waste from siphon • Incurrent and excurrent siphon • Can filter up to 65 gallons of

seawater per day

Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ken-ichi/4161777007/

Suaeda calceoliformis (Sea blite)

• Excretes through their stomatal pores on their leaves

• An excretory system • Produces waste through cellular

respiration and photosynthesis • Excrete oxygen, a toxin for them, solid

and gooey things

Image source: http://www.uniprot.org/taxonomy/177238

Crangon septemspinosus (Sand Shrimp)

• Moves onto the marsh as the tide rises • Feeds on marsh and eelgrass • The food is converted into shrimp biomass

and fecal pellets • Can adjust body color to match background

Respiration

Image source: https://flickr.com/photos/theclf/7466882216

Zostera marina (Eelgrass)

• When respires they produce a gas waste, carbon dioxide

• Carbon dioxide is excreted through the plants pores and is used in photosynthesis

• Oxygen produced in photosynthesis is also used in cellular respiration

Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/file:journal.pbio.0040291.g001.tif

Saccoglossus kowaleski (Acorn Worm)

• The gills are found on the anterior part of the trunk • Oxygenated water flows into the mouth by the cilia

action and leaves through the gill slits • Gill like structure is similar to primitive fish • Considered to be a link between vertebrates and

invertebrates

Image source: http://olyblog.net/dig-it

Panopea generosa (Geoduck)

• Draws in water and food, also expelling waste through the siphon

• The water is driven into the inhalant tube by the beating of the cilia

• They tend to be found buried under sand, dirt, and mud two to three feet

Sensitivity

Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermit_crab

● Pagurus longicarpus is also called Long-armed Hermit Crab

● About 2 cm long, founded at water outflow from a small smarsh

● Feeds mainly on animal and plant detritus

Image source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alitta_succinea

● Nereis succinea also called The Common Clam worm

● Small holes are often visible on the sediment surface in marsh tidal creeks to recognize their location

● About 7 cm long, lives in a series of interconnecting

Image source: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gammarus

● Gammarus has ability to

swim or walk in solid

surface

● Feeds for the most part

on algae, eelgrass and

cordgrass detritus

Reproduction

Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_irroratus

● Cancer irroratus are located mostly at the Atlantic ocean, North America's east coast, Canada, South Carolina, U.S.

● Reproduction occurs in the autumn

● Produced can range from 125,000 to 500,000 a year

Image source: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/117650-Mytilus-edulis

● The blue mussel (Mytilus edulis), also known as the common mussel

● Mussels have separate sexes ● As few as 1% of larvae that do

mature ever reach adulthood, the majority are eaten by predators before completing metamorphosis.

Image source: http://www.exoticsguide.org/mya_arenaria

● Soft-Shell Clams live in a burrow that protects them from predators

● They are capable of reproduction after their first year of life

● They reproduce by spawning

Growth

Image source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulva_lactuca

● Sea Lettuce is also called Ulva lactuca

● It may reach 18 centimeters (7.1 in) or more in length, though generally much less,

● It can be up to 30 centimeters (12 in) across

Image source: https://www.thoughtco.com/brown-algae-phaeophyta-2291972

● The brown algae include the largest and fastest growing of seaweeds

● It may grow as much as 50 centimeters (20 in) per day, and the stipes can grow 6 centimeters (2.4 in) in a single day

Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/24270497859

● Horseshoe Crab have been around for more than 300 million years

● Female horseshoe crab are about one-third larger than the males.

● Female can grow to be 18 to 19 inches (46 to 48 centimeters) from head to tail, while the males are approximately 14 to 15 inches (36 to 38 centimeters).

Movement

Image source: http://www.uniprot.org/taxonomy/587144

● Crangon septemspinosa is a species of shrimp, one of several known as the sand shrimp.

● Lives along the Atlantic coast of North America

● Moving: Specialized posterior appendages (Telson) that allow quick backward movement.

Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corixidae

● Water Boatman is also called Corixidae

● They are usually less than 13 mm (0.5 inch) long

● This insect swims with rapid, jerking movements

● The water boatman does not bite people.

Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_worm

● The acorn worm body, about 10 cm long, is divided into three parts (proboscis, collar and trunk)

● Live in an underground burrow that provides protection against predators.

● Acorn worms move by cilia movements and body contractions

Polyacantho pedalis

• Name: Polyacantho pedalis (many prickly footed) • Nutrition: Has a proboscis that allows the animal to catch their prey, their proboscis is merged

with a crusher claw and a shredder claw is attached that allows them to break hard shells then shred the meat inside. (Common clam worm and Green crab)

• Excretion: Has a small siphon between their proboscis that acts as part of their mouth. Excess water and food waste pushed through the exhalant siphon and back into the water. (Japanese littleneck clam)

• Respiration: Has gill slits that allows them to breathe and trap food in water in the gill slits. (Acorn worm)

• Sensitivity: Has the ability to walk or swim, they can walk with their feet like a centipede or worm with feet. When they need to swim those feet then will lay flat against the body allowing the animal to glide through the water with less resistance. (Gammarus)

• Reproduction: Grows very quickly and can be a free swimming larvae within hours once the eggs are fertilized. (Soft shell clam)

• Growth: Once the animal reaches adolescent it grows rapidly, about one centimeter every day and can grow up to two feet. However, their lifespan is very short and they tend to die around three months after adolescence. (Brown algae)

• Movement: Has a specialized posterior appendage, telson, that allows the animal to make a quick backward movement like a lobster or shrimp. (Sand shrimp)

Polyacantho pedalis (many prickly footed)

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