andrewmccue's Identifications

Common name: Green sea urchin
Location found: It is commonly found in northern waters all around the world including both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans to a northerly latitude of 81 degrees and as far south as the Puget Sound (Washington State) and England.
Habitat type(s): is found on rocky substratum in the intertidal, and likes to burrow itself into holes it 'digs' out in the rocks
Physical description: named due to its characteristic green color
Fun fact: Some snail spp. adhere their eggs to the base of the green urchin's spines for protection

Alive forbes sea stars, diving found in about 19 ft.
Habitat types: Benthic; depth range 0 - 613 m; temperate. Asterias forbesi is found in the intertidal zone of rocky shores on the Atlantic coast of North America from Maine southwards to the Gulf of Mexico.
Physical description: Asterias forbesi usually has 5 arms but occasionally has 4 or 6. Like many starfish species, the upper surface is covered in blunt conical projections giving it a rough feel. The arms are plump, broad at the base and tapering to a blunt tip. This starfish grows to about 15 centimetres (5.9 in) in diameter with an arm length of about 6 centimetres (2.4 in). The madreporite is usually pink and is visible near the edge of the disc. The colour of the upper side is variable, ranging from brown or tan to reddish-purple and the underside is usually pale brown. Near the tip on the underside of each arm there are small eyespots.

Common name: Flat Periwinkle
Location: Cunner Ledge
Habitat: Littoral and sublittoral zones
Physical description: Yellow/brown/green smooth shells.
Fun fact: Shell color varies depending on its habitat.

• Found on the chimney's while diving off of Canoe Beach in Nahant, MA
• Common name is the blood star
• This species is found in the Northern pacific and northern Atlantic oceans and the western Atlantic. They are commonly found near shores, under and on rocks, and near or on gravel. They are typically filter feeders.
• This was found diving and attached to some rocks near other blood stars. It has the distinguishing bright orange color, is very small with long arms.
• Fun fact: Other species of sea stars can have up to 40 arms.

Sources
https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Henricia_sanguinolenta/

https://www.pacificbeachcoalition.org/sea-star-fun-facts/

Blue Mussel
Found - in the intertidal zone on Nahant
Habitat - along and inside tide pools connected to surrounding rocks
Fun fact - mussels are filter feeders and capable of removing bacteria and toxins from the water

Common Name : American Lobster

Scientific Name: Homarus americanus

Location: Found sub-tidally at about 15 ft while scuba diving off of Canoe Beach in Nahant, MA. Found on the sea floor hiding underneath some rocks.

Habitat: Typically found from Nova Scotia down to North Carolina, but it is uncommon south of New Jersey.

Physical Description: This specimen was estimated to be about 1 foot long with a dark brown coloration.

Fun Fact: The american lobster has been known to reach up to 44 lbs, making it the heaviest crustacean in the world.

Scientific Name: Crassostrea virginica

Common Name: Eastern Oyster

Location: Found in the lower marsh during low tide off of Labor in Vain Rd, Ipswich MA. attached to a medium sized rock.

Habitat: The eastern oyster is typically found from the Gulf of St. Lawerence to the Gulf of Maine.

Physical Description: This particular oyster was about the size of the palm of my hand with many ridges on its upper shell.

Fun Fact: Uncrowded oysters can live to be 20 years old

Common name: Spider crab
Locations found: occurs from the Atlantic coast to the Florida Keys and through the Gulf of Mexico
Habitat(s) found: It lives at depths of up to 49 m
Physical description: Is roughly triangular in outline, the whole crab is khaki colored, and the carapace is covered in spines and tubercles, and, as with other decorator crabs, often clothes itself in debris and small invertebrates
Fun fact: Unusually for crabs, this crab preferentially walks forwards, rather than sideways (although they are capable of moving sideways)

Common name: Atlantic Horseshoe Crab
Scientific name: Limulus polyphemus

Habitat types: sand or muddy bottoms, intertidal to 75'.

Observed: Both molts; quite some ways from the marsh, but could have washed further into land because of the recent storms.

Physical description: carapace with tail, spiky

Fun fact: It is a crab and a relative of the spider.

Used the Martinez guide: Marine Life of the North Atlantic to identify.

Common name: Atlantic Razor Clam
Scientific name: Ensis directs

Habitat types: sand flats, low tide to shallow waters.

Observed: Shell/Dead along Crane's Beach.

Physical description: long, narrow, curved, white color.

Fun fact: named after how they are similar to a jackknife or straight razor.

Used the Martinez guide: Marine Life of the North Atlantic to identify.