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List of animals of Long Island Sound facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Long Island Sound is a large body of water in the northeastern United States. It forms the watery border between Long Island in New York and the state of Connecticut. This amazing place is like a giant nursery for many different kinds of ocean animals. It's home to a huge variety of marine creatures, from tiny sponges to large sharks. This article will tell you about some of the cool animals that live in Long Island Sound. We won't talk about marine mammals here, but you can find them on the List of mammals of New York.

Sponges (Porifera)

Sponges are simple animals that live attached to rocks or the seafloor. They filter water to get their food.

  • Clathria prolifera (red beard sponge)
  • Cliona celata (boring sponge)
  • Halichondria panicea (breadcrumb sponge)

Comb Jellies (Ctenophora)

Comb jellies are see-through, jelly-like animals that swim using tiny comb-like plates. They are not true jellyfish.

  • Pleurobrachia pileus (sea gooseberry)

Jellyfishes (Cnidaria: Medusozoa)

Jellyfishes are bell-shaped animals that float in the water. They have stinging tentacles to catch food.

  • Aurelia aurita (moon jelly)
  • Chrysaora quinquecirrha (Atlantic sea nettle)
  • Cyanea capillata (lion's mane jellyfish)

Corals (Cnidaria)

Corals are tiny animals that often live in colonies and build hard skeletons.

  • Astrangia poculata (Northern Star Coral)

Sea Anemones (Cnidaria: Actiniaria)

Sea anemones look like colorful flowers, but they are animals with stinging tentacles that they use to catch prey.

  • Ceriantheopsis americana (American striped burrowing anemone; this is an invasive species meaning it's not originally from here)
  • Metridium senile (Frilled Anemone)

Crustaceans (Arthropoda: Crustacea)

Crustaceans are a group of animals with hard outer shells, like crabs and lobsters.

True Crabs (Decapoda: Brachyura)

Crabs have ten legs and a hard shell. Many live on the seafloor or in marshy areas.

  • Callinectes sapidus (Atlantic Blue Crab)
  • Carcinus maenas (European green crab; an invasive species)
  • Cancer irroratus (Atlantic Rock Crab)
  • Libinia emarginata (Common Spider Crab)
  • Hemigrapsus sanguineus (Asian shore crab; an invasive species)
  • Uca pugnax (Atlantic Marsh Fiddler Crab)

Other Decapods

This group includes lobsters and shrimp.

  • Homarus americanus (American Lobster)
  • Pagurus longicarpus (Long-Wrist Hermit Crab)
  • Crangon septemspinosa (Seven-Spined Sand Shrimp)

Mantis Shrimp (Stomatopoda)

Mantis shrimp are powerful hunters with strong claws.

  • Squilla empusa (Atlantic Mantis Shrimp)

Horseshoe Crabs (Arthropoda: Xiphosura)

Horseshoe crabs are ancient creatures that have been around for millions of years. They are not true crabs.

Cephalopods (Mollusca: Cephalopoda)

Cephalopods are smart ocean animals like squid and octopuses.

Gastropods (Mollusca: Gastropoda)

Gastropods are snails and slugs. Many have a single shell.

Sea Snails and Their Habits

This group includes snails that filter food, eat many things, or hunt other animals.

  • Crepidula fornicata (Common Slipper Shell Snail)
  • Euspira heros (Northern Moonsnail)
  • Littorina littorea (common periwinkle; an invasive species)

Predatory Sea Snails

Most snails in this group are hunters.

  • Busycon carica (Knobbed Whelk)
  • Busycotypus canaliculatus (Channeled Whelk)
  • Ilyanassa obsoleta (Eastern Mudsnail)
  • Urosalpinx cinerea (Atlantic Oyster Drill)

Bivalves (Mollusca: Bivalvia)

Bivalves are shellfish with two hinged shells, like clams and oysters.

Filter Feeders

These bivalves filter water for food. Some can move, while others stay in one place.

Burrowing Bivalves

These bivalves mostly dig into the sand or mud.

Echinoderms (Echinodermata)

Echinoderms are spiny-skinned animals like sea urchins and starfish.

Sea Urchins (Echinoidea)

Sea urchins are round, spiny animals that graze on algae.

  • Sand dollar
  • Arbacia punctulata (Atlantic Purple Sea Urchin)

Sea Cucumbers (Holothuroidea)

Sea cucumbers are soft-bodied, sausage-shaped animals that live on the seafloor.

  • Sclerodactyla briareus (Hairy Sea Cucumber)

Starfish (Asteroidea)

Starfish, also called sea stars, have multiple arms and can regenerate lost limbs.

  • Asterias forbesi (Common Seastar)
  • Henricia sanguinolenta (Blood Star)

Brittle Stars (Ophiuroidea)

Brittle stars have long, flexible arms that break off easily, helping them escape predators.

  • Ophioderma Brevispinum (Shortspined Brittlestar)
  • Axiognathus squamata (Little Brittlestar)

Sea Squirts (Chordata: Tunicata)

Sea squirts are simple marine animals that filter water. They are related to vertebrates.

  • Molgula manhattensis (Sea Grape)
  • Styela clava (Asian stalked Tunicate)

Cartilaginous Fish (Chordata: Chondrichthyes)

These fish have skeletons made of cartilage, not bone. This group includes sharks, skates, and rays.

Sharks (Selachimorpha)

Sharks are powerful predators. Some live in Long Island Sound all the time, while others visit.

Resident Sharks

These sharks live in the Sound regularly.

  • Carcharhinus leucas (Bull Shark)
  • Mustelus canis (Dusky Smoothhound Shark / Smooth Dogfish)
  • Odontaspis taurus (Sand Tiger Shark)

Visiting Sharks

These sharks sometimes visit the Sound, often following warmer waters.

Skates and Rays (Batoidea)

Skates and rays are flat-bodied fish that live on the seafloor.

  • Dasyatis centroura (Roughtail Stingray)
  • Raja erinacea (Little Skate)
  • Rhinoptera bonasus (Cownose Ray)

Bony Fish (Chordata: Osteichthyes)

Bony fish have skeletons made of bone. This is a very diverse group.

Eels (Anguilliformes)

Eels are long, snake-like fish.

Gadiformes

This group includes cod and hake.

Seahorses and Pipefishes (Syngnathiformes)

These fish have unique body shapes and often live in seagrass beds.

Jacks (Carangiformes: Carangidae)

Jacks are fast-swimming fish often found in open water.

Flatfish (Pleuronectiformes)

Flatfish, like flounders, have flattened bodies and often lie on the seafloor.

Scorpaeniformes

This group includes sculpins and sea robins.

  • Hemitripterus americanus (Atlantic Sea Raven)
  • Prionotus carolinus (Northern Sea Robin)
  • Pterois volitans (red lionfish; an invasive species)

Wrasses (Labriformes: Labridae)

Wrasses are often colorful fish that live near rocky areas.

Perciformes

This is a very large group of fish, including many common species.

Drums (Sciaenidae)

Drums get their name from the drumming sounds they make.

Other Perciformes

Anglerfish (Lophiiformes)

Anglerfish are known for their unique fishing lures.

  • Lophius americanus (American Anglerfish)

Tetraodontiformes

These fish often have unusual shapes and can inflate their bodies. They are usually summer visitors to the Sound.

Miscellaneous Percomorpha

This group includes various other bony fish.

  • Ammodytes americanus (American Sand Lance)
  • Opsanus tau (Oyster Toadfish)
  • Peprilus triacanthus (Atlantic Butterfish)

Gulf Stream Visitors

Many animals in this group are young fish carried into Long Island Sound by the Gulf Stream. They often don't survive when the water gets too cold.

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List of animals of Long Island Sound Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.