Page 264 - Florida and the US Caribbean Isles

Sponges are animals The Key West Marine Park is made possible by The Key West Marine Park is part
that filter the water for
SOUTHERNMOST of Florida’s coral reef ecosystem and is considered
food and oxygen. They a hard bottom/soft coral community
come in many forms OLD TOWN RESORTS
such as barrel, vase, SOUTHERNMOST HOTEL with a variety of hard and soft corals, sponges,
SOUTHERNMOST ON THE BEACH and seagrasses. These shallow waters provide a
tube, ball, rope, and LA MER & DEWEY HOUSE nursery ground
encrusting and grow
from one-half inch to The Key West Marine Park is operated by the City of and breeding area
Key West in cooperation with Reef Relief, a grassroots for numerous fish
over 6 feet. Many can non-profit membership organization dedicated to and sealife that
be found in the park. Preserve and Protect Living Coral Reef Ecosystems.
Sea anemones are Be a Sea Fan! Join Reef Relief for as little as $30/year. later migrate to
Visit the Reef Relief Environmental Center & Gift Store the offshore coral
members of the same Barrel Sponge at the Historic Seaport – foot of William St. in Key West reefs. Corals are

family as jellyfish and For information contact: delicate structures
corals. Like corals, they have tentacles that are
extended at night to feed that are usually hidden City of Key West – (305) 294-3721 composed of tiny
525 Angela St., Key West, FL 33040 slow-growing
during the day. Pink tipped anemone can be found in animals called
the park. Sea Jellies such as Portugese or This public underwater park has been Sea Urchin and Coral
Man-of-War are translucent purple jellyfish, with (305) 294-3100 established to enhance protection for coral polyps. The
or write to P.O. Box 430, Key West, FL 33041 the nearshore coral reef ecosystem Key West Marine
long, thin tentacles that float on the surface. Beware, www.reefrelief.org Park is home to several hard corals such as rose,
they are highly toxic and contact will produce Photographs from Key West Marine Park by Craig Quirolo, Reef Relief and to provide for compatible use
by boaters, swimmers, mustard hill and finger corals that have a hard
redness, welts and blisters. Avoid any contact, either in A publication funded in part by the Florida Department of Community and beach visitors calcareous exoskeleton and soft corals, such as sea
the water or on the shore. Affairs, Florida Coastal Management Program, pursuant to National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration Award No. NA 170Z1118. The views fans, sea whips, and sea rods without exoskeletons that
expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the sway in the ocean currents and filter the ocean water.
Seastars, once called views of the State of Florida, NOAA or any of its subagencies. September, 2002.
starfish, have a hard Seagrasses are flowering marine plants that are
internal skeleton and Printed on Recycled Paper
five body sections an important part of the coral reef ecosystem. They
(although there are filter the water by trapping sediments, release oxygen
exceptions) arranged into the water and stabilize the ocean bottom with their
around a central disc. roots. Many animals such as turtles, manatees, fish, sea
Broken arms can be urchins and sea cucumbers depend upon seagrasses for
regenerated and some food. Seagrasses are a nursery ground for pink shrimp,
species can form a new
Seastar animal from a severed lobster, snapper and other sealife. Conch is a species
part. Sea urchins
are covered with numerous spines that cover a of special concern in Florida. This mollusk thrives in
spherical body. Avoid contact as the spines cause a
painful wound. seagrasses and the Queen Conch, known for its

Shrimp, lobsters, and crabs are crustaceans, broad lipped shell, is the mascot of the Florida Keys. The
members of the largest animal phylum, and each has
five pairs of legs. They Florida horse conch was once abundant as

well. All members of the mollusk family lack true
skeletons although some grow shells, and include
snails, sea hares, nudibranchs, squid, octopus, and sea
slugs. They are found on the offshore reefs and
sometimes in nearshore waters as well.

all have elaborate exo- Lobster
skeletons, which they
shed by molting, to
allow them to grow. In
the Keys, spiny lobster,
slipper lobster, blue
crabs, and Florida stone
crab are common as
are various species of
other crabs and shrimp.
Queen Conch