The Pull of the New Moon: More Tide Pooling in Seattle
As I write this, the moon is almost new again, and we are again due to have some of the lowest tides of the summer. This month, my schedule prevents me from getting my feet wet, but I have gotten out for the last several low tides at Constellation Park, Golden Gardens Park, and Fauntleroy Ferry dock, all in Seattle. I have seen wonderful things, and also some rather horrible things. Let's start with something small and horrible. Skeleton shrimp (family Caprellidae ) are not really shrimp, they are members of a group called amphipods. Skeleton shrimp While fearsome in appearance, they are very small; the ones I've seen are less than an inch. Their terrifying appendages are largely used just to cling to seaweed so they don't drift away. The males of some species use their burly front limbs in fights over mates. Some even have poison glands in their front limbs - but they are not dangerous to humans. Also fearsome but quite small is the gaper (or horse) clam ( Tresus capa...