Page 48 - Coral Reef Teachers Guide

Sponges are animals The Key West Marine Park is made possible by The Key West Marine Park is part
that filter the water for of Florida’s coral reef ecosystem and is considered
food and oxygen. They a hard bottom/soft coral community
come in many forms with a variety of hard and soft corals, sponges,
such as barrel, vase, and seagrasses. These shallow waters provide a
tube, ball, rope, and nursery ground
encrusting and grow and breeding area
from one-half inch to for numerous fish
over 6 feet. Many can and sealife that
be found in the park. later migrate to
Sea anemones are the offshore coral
members of the same Barrel Sponge reefs. Corals are
family as jellyfish and delicate structures
corals. Like corals, they have tentacles that are composed of tiny
extended at night to feed that are usually hidden SOUTHERNMOST slow-growing
OLD TOWN RESORTS
during the day. Pink tipped anemone can be found in SOUTHERNMOST HOTEL animals called
the park. Sea Jellies such as Portugese SOUTHERNMOST ON THE BEACH This public underwater park has been coral polyps. The Sea Urchin and Coral
LA MER & DEWEY HOUSE
Man-of-War are translucent purple jellyfish, with Key West Marine
long, thin tentacles that float on the surface. Beware, established to enhance protection for Park is home to several hard corals such as rose,
they are highly toxic and contact will produce the nearshore coral reef ecosystem mustard hill and finger corals that have a hard
redness, welts and blisters. Avoid any contact, either in and to provide for compatible use calcareous exoskeleton and soft corals, such as sea
the water or on the shore. fans, sea whips, and sea rods without exoskeletons that
The Key West Marine Park is operated by the City of by boaters, swimmers, sway in the ocean currents and filter the ocean water.
Seastars, once called Key West in cooperation with Reef Relief, a grassroots and beach visitors
starfish, have a hard non-profit membership organization dedicated to Seagrasses are flowering marine plants that are
internal skeleton and Preserve and Protect Living Coral Reef Ecosystems. an important part of the coral reef ecosystem. They
five body sections Be a Sea Fan! Join Reef Relief for as little as $30/year. filter the water by trapping sediments, release oxygen
(although there are Visit the Reef Relief Environmental Center & Gift Store into the water and stabilize the ocean bottom with their
exceptions) arranged at the Historic Seaport – foot of William St. in Key West roots. Many animals such as turtles, manatees, fish, sea
around a central disc. urchins and sea cucumbers depend upon seagrasses for
Broken arms can be For information contact: food. Seagrasses are a nursery ground for pink shrimp,
regenerated and some lobster, snapper and other sealife. Conch is a species
species can form a new of special concern in Florida. This mollusk thrives in
Seastar animal from a severed seagrasses and the Queen Conch, known for its
part. Sea urchins broad lipped shell, is the mascot of the Florida Keys. The
are covered with numerous spines that cover a City of Key West – (305) 294-3721 Florida horse conch was once abundant as
spherical body. Avoid contact as the spines cause a 525 Angela St., Key West, FL 33040 well. All members of the mollusk family lack true
painful wound. or skeletons although some grow shells, and include

snails, sea hares, nudibranchs, squid, octopus, and sea
Shrimp, lobsters, and crabs are crustaceans, slugs. They are found on the offshore reefs and
members of the largest animal phylum, and each has sometimes in nearshore waters as well.
five pairs of legs. They (305) 294-3100
all have elaborate exo- Lobster or write to P.O. Box 430, Key West, FL 33041
skeletons, which they www.reefrelief.org
shed by molting, to
allow them to grow. In Photographs from Key West Marine Park by Craig Quirolo, Reef Relief
the Keys, spiny lobster, A publication funded in part by the Florida Department of Community
slipper lobster, blue Affairs, Florida Coastal Management Program, pursuant to National Oceanic
crabs, and Florida stone and Atmospheric Administration Award No. NA 170Z1118. The views
crab are common as expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the
are various species of views of the State of Florida, NOAA or any of its subagencies. September, 2002.
other crabs and shrimp. Printed on Recycled Paper Queen Conch