LIFE BETWEEN THE TmES 75 



On protected rocky shores many animals of the exposed coast are present, 

 together with a multitude unable to survive the rigors of heavy wave action. 

 Provided there is an ample supply of well-aerated water at or near sea 

 temperature, the more varied the configuration of the shore the greater 

 will be the variety of life. In the most favorable situations on Point Lobos 

 is to be found a fair representation of the intertidal invertebrates of 

 Northern California. 



A sheltered, fairly deep, tide pool with its surrounding rocks and cobbles, 

 would house a rather formidable list of animals. One of the first to strike 

 the eye is the giant green sea anemone, very flower-like with its several 

 circles of tentacles, which normally are expanded to trap an unwary crab 

 or sculpin. These sea anemones are not fastidious; any small animal will 

 be engulfed which is not too strong to escape the adhesive tentacles as they 

 slowly fold inward. 



There is a nearly related, usually smaller, dull pink species and a rare 

 deep carmine one with larger tentacles, sometimes called sea dahlia. A 

 fourth small species, growing in mats, covers itself with bits of shell and 

 when contracting squirts water from a multitude of pores. It is found 

 usually somewhat higher, in tide position, than the green — which, also, is 

 an animated watering pot. A green anemone 6 to 10 inches in diameter is 

 undoubtedly very old — 50 to 100 years — and should be treated with respect. 



Belonging in the same great group as the anemones are the exquisite 

 hybroids, delicate miniature trees and bushes flowering in medusa heads. 

 They are white, yellow, orange ; others are brownish, as the ostrich feather, 

 Aglaophenia. 



Often living along side of the green anemone are purple urchins. The 

 much larger maroon, giant urchins, with longer spines, are inhabitants of 

 the deepest pools and commonest offshore. The young of the purple vrehin 

 are green and usually hide under stones or in crevices. Both feed oi^ kelp. 

 In shallow pools the purple covers itself with bits of shell and kelp, held by 

 the multitude of sucker feet. 



The common sea star found on mussel beds is equally at home in quiet 

 tide pools. Its name, Pisaster ochraceus, is rather misleading, as it is more 

 often brown or dull purple than yellow. It is a voracious predator, but is 

 too sluggish to capture anything unattached — hence its predilection for 

 mussels, barnacles, and limpets. The twenty-rayed star when excited by 

 food can move rapidly and execute counter movements actively. When 

 under "full sail" with its thousands of tube feet lashing back and forth 

 it is an impressive animal. Its numerous cushions of probably millions of 

 microscopic pincers and the wide expanse of its flexible body make it a 

 formidable predator. By preferance it eats both species of sea urchins, 

 which are swallowed, spines and all. After 24 to 36 hours, the cleaned test 

 and spines are ejected through the mouth. A large example, two feet in 

 diameter with 20 to 23 rays has about 15,000 tube feet, all perfectly coordi- 

 nated so that the star can crawl with any ray foremost. It has a wide range 

 of color: purplish gray, dull furry gray, orange, reddish. 



Two kinds of six-rayed starlets, upward of 2| inches in diameter, are 

 found under rocks and are notable for brooding their developing eggs and 

 tiny young. A temporary brood-chamber is formed around the mouth by 

 arching the disk and approximating the bases of the rays. An arctic rela- 

 tive swallows its eggs and the young develop in the stomach. The small 



