Species Commonly Found in the Seagrasses and Saltmarshes Near Turkey Point
Fishes Chondrichthyes nurse shark Ginglymostoma cirratum bonnethead shark Sphyrna tiburo lesser electric ray Narcine brasiliensis smooth butterfly ray Gymnura micrura clearnose skate Raja eglanteria Atlantic stingray Dasyatis sabina Osteichthyes seahorse Hippocampus erectus Hippocampus zosterae longnosed pipefish Sygnathus floridae shortnosed pipefish Sygnathus scovelli pygmy pipefish Micrognathus cringerus spotted sea trout Cynosion nebulosus red fish (red drum) Scienops ocellata gag grouper Mycteroperca microlepis red grouper Epinephelus morio blenny Hipsoblennius spp. and more (?) sheepshead Archosargus pobatocephalus black sea bass Centropristis striata lane snapper Lutjanus synagris spot Leistomus xanthurus pinfish Lagodon rhomboides pigfish Orthopristis chrysoptera scrawled cowfish Acantostracion quadricornis planehead file fish Monacanthus hispidus fringed file fish Monacanthus ciliatus scrawled file fish Aleuterus scripta threadfin Opisthonema oglinum silver jenny Eucinostomus gula silver perch Bairdiella chrysura mullet Mugil cephalus silversides Menidia beryllina anchovy Anchoa mitchilli striped burrfish Chilomycterus schoepfi southern puffer Sphaeroides nephelus needlefish Strongylura spp. toadfish Opsanus beta batfish Ogcocephalus radiatus southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma gulf flounder Paralichthys albigutta ocellated flounder Ancylopsetta dilecta tonguefish Symphurus spp. hogchoker Trinectes maculatus bighead sea robin Prionotis tribulus lizardfish Synodis foetens gulf menhaden Brevoortia gunteria sea catfish (hardhead cat) Arius felis Atlantic midshipman Porichthys porosissimus Fishes, continued Atlantic spadefish Chaetodipterus faber painted wrasse Halichoeres caudalis long-nosed killifish Fundulus similis gulf killifish Fundulus grandis diamond killifish Adinia xenica sailfin molly Poecilia latipinna mosquito fish Gambusia affinis sheepshead minnow Cyprinodon variegatus
Urochordates sandy sea squirt Molgula occidentalis leathery sea squirt Styela plicata sea pork Amaroucium stellatum variable encrusting tunicate Botryllus planus
Echinoderms Asteroidea sand starfish Luidia clathrata limp (weak) starfish Luidia alternata brown spiny sea star Echinaster spinulosus beaded sea star Astropecten articulatus Ophiuroidea brittle star various species Echinoidea variable sea urchin Lytechinus varigatus long-spined sea urchin Arbacia puctulata Holothuroidea sand sea cucumber Thyone sp.
Molluscs Bivalvia commercial oyster Crassostrea virginica Atlantic mussel Geukensia (Modiolus) demissa quahog (hardshell venus) Mercenaria mercenaria sunray venus Macrocallista nimbosa gulf scallop Argopecten irradians giant Atlantic cockle Dinocardium robustum vanhiningi crosse-barred venus Chione cancellata ponderous ark Noetia ponderosa Gastropoda crown conch Melongena corona mud snail Nassarius vibex salt marsh periwinkle Littoraria (Littorina) irrorata lightning whelk Busycon contrarium pear whelk Busycon spiratum banded tulip snail Fasciolaria hunteria true tulip snail Fasciolaria tulipa apple murex Murex (Chicoreus) pomum knobby turban (cat's eye) Turbo castanea Florida cerith Cerithium floridana Atlantic modulus Modulus modulus common slipper shell Crepidula fornicata Molluscs, continued flat slipper shell Crepidula plana dove shell Anachis spp. Florida fighting conch Strombus alatus spindle shell Cantharus cancellaria marginella Marginella spp. lettered olive Oliva sayana moon snail (shark's eye) Polinices duplicatus baby's ear Sinum perspectivum dog whelk Thais haemastoma oyster drill Urosalpinx cinerea sea hare (sea slug) Aplysia protea ragged sea hare Bursatella leachii pleii Cephalopoda brief squid Lolliguncula brevis common Atlantic octopus Octopus vulgaris Joubin's octopus Octopus joubini
Crustaceans Decapoda blue crab Callinectes sapidus stone crab Menippe mercenaria shame-face crab Calappa flamea mud crabs various xanthid crab spp. - Panopeus, Neopanope, swimming crab Portunis spp. commercial shrimp Penaeus spp. purse crab Persephone crinita calico crab Hepatus epheleticus smooth porcelain crab Petrolisthes politis decorator crabs Macrocoeloma spp. Microphrys spp. spider crab Libinia dubia arrow crab Sternorhynchus seticornis fiddler crabs Uca pugilator Uca longisignalis Uca virens Uca panacea grey marsh crab Sesarma cinereum green-striped hermit crab Clibanarius vittatus dimpled hermit crab Pagurus impressus long-clawed hermit crab Pagurus longicarpus seagrass hermit crab Pagurus maclaughlinae flat-clawed hermit crab Pagurus pollicarus big-clawed snapping shrimp Alpheus heterochaelis mantis shrimp Squilla empusa glass shrimp Palaeomonetes pugio snapping shrimp Alpheus heterochaelis green grass shrimp Tozeuma carolinense broken back shrimp Hippolyte zostericola Florida grass shrimp Palaeomon floridana Amphipoda scuds Gammarus spp. Lysianopsis spp. beach fleas Talorchestia spp. Orchestia spp. Crustaceans, cont. Isopoda sea roach Ligia exotica
Annelids tube worms Diopatra cuprea parchment tube worm Chaetopterus variopedatus
Cnidarians whip coral Leptogorgia vigulata sea pansy Renilla reniformes tube anemone Cereantheopsis americanus tricolor anemone (on hermit Calliactis tricolor crabs) snail fur (on hermit crabs) Hydractinia echinata cannonball jellyfish Stomalophus meleagris northern cup coral Astrangia danae
Ctenophores lobate comb jelly Mnemiospsis spp.
Sponges garlic sponge Lissodendoryx isodictyalid yellow boring sponge Cliona celata crumb-of-bread sponge Halichondria bowerbanki red beard sponge Microciona prolifera
Plants Angiosperms turtle grass Thallassia testudinum eel grass Syringodium filiforme cuban shoal grass Halodule wrightii saltmarsh cordgrass Spartina alterniflora black needlerush Juncus roemerianus saltwort Salicornia sp. sea oats Uniola paniculata Algae sea lettuce Ulva lactuca mermaids hair Enteromorpha spp.