What Seashells & Animals Can Be Found on Beaches in Virginia?
Virginia beaches are rich in biodiversity. From the shores of the Atlantic Ocean to the Chesapeake Bay region, a wide variety of marine life can be found washed up on the beaches each day when the tide recedes. Some of these species are harmless, but others should be approached with extreme caution.
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Seashells
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The Assateague Naturalist website indicates that a number of different kinds of seashells can be found on beaches in Virginia. Shells such as knobbed whelks (Busycon carica), can grow to be eight or nine inches, while lightning whelks (Busycon contrarium) can grow to be as large as fifteen inches. These seashells have firm, rounded exteriors that form a knobbed spiral on one end. The other end tapers to a long, thin point.
Clam shells are another common find. The stout razor clam is found south of Massachusetts, and the Atlantic jackknife clam can be found on beaches north of South Carolina and up into Canada. Other seashells that can be found are quahogs, oyster shells and scallops.
Arthropods
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Horseshoe crabs are not actually crabs, but are more closely related to arachnids. These animals are frequently seen washed up on beaches in Virginia. Horseshoe crabs are brownish in color. They have a smooth, rounded carapace, a middle section called an opithosoma, and a tail. They also have two pairs of eyes, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Horseshoe crabs do not sting.
Blue crabs are another common find. These animals are an important commercial species in the Chesapeake Bay region. They are greenish in color with blue claws and can grow to be as large as nine inches. They live in shallow waters in estuaries and along the bay. Crabs have a sharp and painful pinch and should be handled carefully.
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Invertebrates
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Several species of jellyfish can be found along beaches in Virginia, particularly around the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Program indicates that sea nettles have a dome-shaped, white bell that can grow to be about four inches across, and they can have as many as 24 tentacles. They are often responsible for stinging swimmers.
Moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) can be found washed up on Virginia beaches in large numbers. They are one of the most common species of jellyfish. They have stingers, according to the Virginia Living Museum website, but their stingers are not powerful enough to penetrate the skin. The Chesapeake Bay Program describes this species as having a large, flat, white bell, with many tentacles that hang from the bell's edge.
Finally, the lion's mane jellyfish (Cyanea capillata) has an orange bell that is approximately four inches across. These jellyfish are usually found in the bay during the winter months. They enter as young jellies and leave as adults, according to the Chesapeake Bay Program. Their sting causes an itchy, burning rash.
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References
- Photo Credit seashell and pier image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com
