Saltmarsh Invertebrates

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Salt marsh animals (invertebrates)

Annelids

Saltmarsh worm (Pygospio elegans) from the mudflats of the Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts

Saltmarsh worm (Streblospio benedicti) from the mudflats Notice the banded branchae and the clear feeding palps. Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts

Saltmarsh worm (Streblospio benedicti) from the mudflats Notice the banded branchae and the clear feeding palps. Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts

Clamworm (Nereis diversicolor) from the Plum Island, Massachusetts – Note, scale bar is wrong

Tubiculous polychaete (Fabricia sabella) that broods in tubes (brood bottom center). The pink color is due to rose bengal stain. Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts

Suspension feeding saltmarsh worm (Fabricia sabella) from the mudflats of the Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts. Scale-bar is wrong.

Saltmarsh worm (Polydora cornuta) from the mudflats of the Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts. The scale bar is wrong.

Amphipods

Saltmarsh amphipod (Orchestia grillus) on a Spartina stem. Brown is the normal color morph, compare to the orange, parasitized morphs. Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts

Saltmarsh amphipod (Orchestia grillus). The orange color indicates its parasitized by a trematode. Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts

Saltmarsh amphipod (Orchestia grillus). The orange color indicates its parasitized by a trematode. Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts

Insects and spiders

Prarie grasshopper (Melanoplus sp.) in the saltmarsh. Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts

Green head larva (maggot), Tabanus. A predator of small arthropods. Coffee bean snail, Melampus bidentatus. Rowley, Massachusetts.

The larvae of a greenhead, Tabanus nigrovittatus, eating a small crustaceans

A femal greenhead, Tabanus nigrovittatus, biting my elbow with her jagged mouthparts.

A female greenhead, Tabanus nigrovitattus, bites me with blood pooling around her mouth

Namaste.

Seaside ladybug, Rowley, Massachusetts

Marsh mudsnail Nassarius obsoletus (formerly Ilyanassa obsoleta)

Dogwhelk, mudsnail, Nassarius obsoletus, (=Ilyanassa obsoleta). Rowley, Massachusetts

Dogwhelk, mudsnail, Nassarius obsoletus, (=Ilyanassa obsoleta). Rowley, Massachusetts

Nassarius obsoletus (=Ilyanassa obsoleta) eggs. Rowley, Massachusetts

Nassarius obsoletus (=Ilyanassa obsoleta) eggs. Rowley, Massachusetts

Coffee-bean snail, Melampus bidentatus

Coffee bean snail at different ages. Note the transverse bands on the young (small snail) that are often absent on the larger snails. Rowley, Massachusetts

A plant bug, Trigonotylus uhleri, hitchhikes on Melampus. Rowley, Massachusetts

A plant bug, Trigonotylus uhleri, hitchhikes on Melampus. Rowley, Massachusetts

In the late summer, some Melampus will climb Spartina alterniflora stems during flooding spring tides. (Ipswich, Massachusetts). It’s not clear why. Some will say predation, but I don’t think so.

Melampus eggs. Each egg globe contains 850 eggs on average. Note the egg masses on the Spartina alterniflora stems on the lower right and middle right.

Coffee bean snail egg globe. Rowley, Massachusetts

Melampus bidentatus, coffee-bean snail, Rowley Massachusetts

Hydrobiid snails (very, very small snails! max 3 mm shell length!)

Marsh periwinkle, Littoraria irrorata

Plant bug, Trigonotylus sp.

 Decapods 

A marsh fiddler crab, Uca pugnax, caught in the Great Marsh (Rowley, MA)

Ovigerous (egg-bearing) fiddler crab, Uca pugnax, caught in a Rowley, Massachusetts, salt marsh

Salt marsh fiddler crab, Uca pugnax, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts

Grass shrimp

Green crab, Carcinus maenas, Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts

A juvenile blue crab from a seagrass bed. May you’re thinking, Hey, where’s his other claw? It’s locked on to my finger. It’s the crab’s version of holding hands.

A blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) found north of Cape Cod in 2012. Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts

Female sand fiddler crab, Uca pugliator, Goodwin Islands, Virginia

Male sand fiddler crab, Uca pugilator, Goodwin Islands, Virginia

Purple marsh crab, Sesarma reticulatum, Goodwin Islands, Virginia

Egg-bearing sand fiddler crab, Uca pugilator, Falmouth, Massachusetts

Purple marsh crab, Sesarma reticulatum, all covered in muds. Goodwin Islands, Virginia

Ribbed mussel, Geukensia demissa

A riffle of ribbed mussels.

Red mite (species unknown to me)

Springtail, Anurida maritima

Horseshoe crabs, Limulus polyphemus