CONSTELLATION MARINE RESERVE NIGHT BEACH WALK 12-29-2013

A perfect weather night for a beach walk......45 deg F, no wind, no rain.  A large crowd took advantage of the weather a minus 1.5' tide and the presence of Seattle Aquarium Beach Naturalists to explore one of Seattle's best intertidal areas.   Red Rock Crabs, Northern Kelp Crabs, Anemones, Shrimp,
and Moon Snails (one even with an egg case) put on a great show.  A Marble Snailfish showed up (first one I've ever seen at Constellation).  On a more depressing note there was evidence that sea star wasting disease is now epidemic on this beach....especially on the north end where an estimated 20% of Purple Sea Stars had the wasting disease.  The cause of the disease, which is wide spread and affecting a number of Sea Star species from Canada to California, is unknown.  On a December 5th beach walk I counted 398 Purple Sea Stars at Constellation M.R. with only one found to have the wasting disease.  On Dec. 29th dozens of Purple Sea Stars were wasting.   Images below tell some of the sad story.

Dock Shrimp

Nanaimo Dorid Sea Slug

Marbled Snailfish

Marbled Snailfish

Marbled Snailfish

Moon Snail with egg case

Moonglow Anemone

Moonglow Anemone

Plumose Anemone

Red Rock Crab

Northern Kelp Crab

Mottled Anemone

Purple Sea Star wasting disease

Purple Sea Star wasting disease

Purple Sea Star wasting disease

Purple Sea Star wasting disease

Purple Sea Star wasting disease

Purple Sea Star wasting disease

Purple Sea Star wasting disease