Alien littorals of the Sakhalin coast: who lives in the La Perouse Strait
Biologist Polina Bogatova showed the unique inhabitants of the La Perouse Strait near the Aniva Biological Station. After low tide, the rocky shore is partially submerged, teeming with underwater life.
Barnacles and clams with "homemade" notches
The rocks along the coast are literally strewn with countless white barnacles, also known as barnacles. They firmly adhere to the rocks, building sturdy limestone nests. At high tide, they extend their tentacles and actively trap food particles.
Living alongside them are limpets—small gastropods that have transformed their shells into the perfect protective cap. They reliably conceal their bodies within it, and the shell itself adheres so tightly to the surface that it effectively stores water inside, allowing them to easily survive low tides.
Each saucer has its own favorite hole in the stone, where it returns every time after grazing and walking.
Worms and floating combs
Additionally, a huge number of coiled shells can be seen on the shore. These are home not only to mollusks but also to hermit crabs, which change their habitats as they grow. Crabs also scurry constantly among the rocks.
Elegant calcareous curls are visible on the algae. These are also the homes of spirorbis worms, which are sedentary and filter the water. Furthermore, the Sakhalin coast is also home to the rare Swift's scallop, a species listed in the Red Data Book, which attaches itself to rocks with a special thread called byssus.
But if it's threatened by a starfish, it can swim from one place to another by flapping its shell. They also have up to a hundred light-sensitive eyes along the edge of their shell. If you eat one, look into its eyes first.
Live "lawn mowers" and predatory anemones
Another edible mollusc in the local intertidal zone is the oyster. Its larva attaches itself to rocks with its left shell and, as it grows, becomes permanently fused to the rock. Sea urchins, meanwhile, live in groups in the deeper holes.
They resemble a lawn mower. Using their mouthparts, called Aristotle's lanterns, they gnaw small animals, organic debris, and algae off the surface of the rocks they crawl on.
As a result, true predators can be found on the rocky shore—anemones, closely related to corals and jellyfish. With their tentacles, anemones capture and suck in small animals that cross their path.
