Kids Corner
Bertrand has written a letter just for YOU about California Moray Eels. But HOLD YOUR FINS! The water has washed some of the words away!
Southern California Gallery
(Gymnothorax mordax)
California moray eels have adapted to survive in the rocky reef habitat. These eels hide in between the rocks and poke their heads out to wait for prey. Once it grabs onto its prey, the eel has a second set of jaws, or pharyngeal jaws, to help pull the prey into the eel’s stomach. Eels breathe through their mouths, which is why they have their mouths open.
Southern California Gallery
(Heterodontus francisci)
Hiding during the day, the horn shark is a small, nocturnal shark. Named after the spines in front of their two dorsal fins, horn sharks have small, cone-shaped teeth to help them eat sea urchins, crabs, and sea snails. However, young horn sharks prefer worms and sea anemones using suction to sift their food from the sand.
Northern Pacific Preview
(Pycnopodia helianthoides)
A typical sea star has five arms with a thin line of tube feet to help grab food and move around. The threatened* sunflower sea star can have as many as 16 to 24 arms. The underside of this sea star is also covered in tube feet, allowing it to move a bit faster than other sea stars. Sunflower sea stars have a diameter of about 3.3 feet.
*Listed as threatened by the Endangered Species Act
