Shells and Beach Things

During my time here I have gone to the beach many times and I have seen lots of cool things.  I will share some of the things I have found. 

Here is a photo of a fossil shark tooth. I found at Fort Meyers Beach.  This tooth could be millons of years old.



 

 

This is an olive shell. Seashells are actually the skeletons of mollusks (snails, clams, oysters).  They grow their skeletons on the outside of their body instead of on the inside like you or me. 

 

 

 

This is an abilone shell.  It  is very shiny.  Shells help protect the sea creatures from other animals, strong currants, storms and help hide the creature.

 

 

 

 

 

This a starfish but is not really a fish. It does not have gills, scales or fins.  They do not move with tails.  They have little tube feet to help them move.

 

 

This is a sand dollar.  It was once alive.  It moves around with tiny little feet on the outside of it.  The little round circle in the middle of it is its mouth.  It eats zooplankton and algae.

 

 

 

This is a conch shell.  You say the word "conk".  Some of these shells get really large.  When we went to a restaurant I ate conch fritters which is really the mollusk in the shell which is deep fried.

 

 

 

This shell is called a flat tellin.  It is a "bivalve shell" because it has 2 sides to it and probably at one time had an oyster or a clam living in it.  When the creatures living in the shells get too big for the shell they will leave and look for another larger shell to live in. 

 

 

Also one day I saw a dolphin swimming close to shore.  It might have been a Bottlenose dolphin which are common in Florida.  It was by itself but they often travel in pairs or in groups.