If \ ■ '.' July 2006 The Shoreline Page 11
ASK#
Aquarium
Q. I found around, puqjle, prickly ball about
the size of a lime at Cape Lookout jetty. It
looked like a pin cushion. Can you tell me
what it is?
A. Our best bet is that it’s a sea urchin.
Surprisingly,
sea urchins are
related to sea
stars and sand
dollars.
Two types
of urchins are
common in our
waters; the purple
urchin with long
spines, and the
white urchin
with short spines.
The spines aren’t
venomous, and
serve mainly
to protect and
aide the urchin
wedging itself
securely into
cracks and
crevices.
Urchins move
on hundreds of
tiny tube feet.
They live in
rocky outcrops,
tidal pools, jetties,
pilings, seaweed and eel grass beds. They can
also be found in deep water and are frequently
Often called pin cushions or sea porcupines- sea urchins
are classified as echinoderms.
hauled up in fishermen’s nets. They move
slowly and graze on algae, small invertebrates
and carrion.
Beneath the urchin’s prickly armor is an
intricate shell, visible only after the animal
has died and its spines have fallen off. Called
a “test,” the shell is beautifully designed with
small, perfectly aligned, raised circles and
five equally-spaced elongated triangles. The
raised circles are where the spines attach.
The tiny holes in the circles are where the
hundreds of thread-like tube feet protrude.
The tube feet operate on a suction principal.
This makes for slow
going, but the strong
grip of the hundreds of
feet can hold the urchin
fast, even in strong
currents.
The urchin’s mouth
is on the bottom of
its shell, surrounded
by a small ring of soft
tissue. Resembling a
small beak, the mouth
consists of five small
teeth. The teeth scrape
minute plants and
animals from rocks,
shells and other solid
surfaces. The hole in
the top of the shell is for
excreting waste.
Many animals
prey on sea urchins,
including sea stars,
conchs, oystercatchers,
gulls, crabs and fish.
Humans also have a
taste for urchins in the
form of roe. The roe is
eaten raw and is highly prized in the Orient
as a gourmet food.
Turtle Time
By Peggy Sagmiller
It is now mid-June and there are only three
Loggerhead Sea Turtle nests on the beach in
Pine Knoll Shores. This season is off to a slower
start than most, possibly due to a cool spring
and cooler than usual water temperatures.
Hopefully, the pace will pick up as the weather
continues to warm.
Please remember to keep your dogs on
leashes when walking on the beach. Sea turtle
eggs release an ammonia odor that dogs (as
well as other predators) find irresistible. This
odor becomes stronger the closer the eggs are
to hatching. So does the urge to dig.
We hope everyone enjoyed the Independence
Day holiday, but please refrain from shooting
fireworks off on the beach in the days and
weeks after the fourth. The loud noise and
bright lights disturb and disorient adult sea
turtles that may choose that evening to come
ashore to nest. All fireworks that leave the
ground are illegal, except those in organized
public displays. It is also illegal to have grills
or campfires on our beach.
Lastly, please remember to take all trash with
you when you leave the beach. Trash left on
the beach will end up in the ocean and may be
ingested by sea turtles, whales and dolphins,
leading to a slow death by starvation. Trash
(especially plastic) can also block animal
airways and kill by suffocation.
Thank you for your understanding and
help in making our beaches safe, clean and
welcoming to all!
At the Library
Bogue Banks Public Library, Pine Knoll Shores
(252) 247-4660 • http://carteret.cpclib.org
CALENDAR FOR JULY
The library will be closed on Tuesday, July 4 for the holiday.
Carteret County Public Web Space: http://carteretcpclib.org
Books at the Beach: A special program for adults who enjoy reading and talking about
what they read. The books selected are by authors who will be attending the Book Festival
in October. The programs will run from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays in the Art Gallery of the
library. “Widow of the South” by Robert Hick is the book chosen for the July 12 program.
The program will be moderated by Sue Ross, PhD. “Brave Enemies” by Robert Morgan will
be discussed on July 26 with Amy Tilly, MA as moderator.
What’s New for Children: Registration for the summer reading program “Paws, Claws,
Scales and Tales continues during the month of July. Prizes will be given as reading goals
are met. The Storytelling Festival returns to Carteret County on Wednesdays. The Festival
will be held at the Maritime Museum in Beaufort at 10 a.m. July 12 Donna Washington, a
teller of fantastic tales, returns for her festival. July 19 ‘String Celebration’, with music
and song, brings us stories from far away lands. July 26 the festival concludes when the ‘Grey
Seal Puppets’ presents “Bathtub Pirates” the tale of a kid at sea!
Featured Artists for July; The Art Gallery will feature a selection of large oil paintings by
the library’s art coordinator, Walter Bone. The show includes French landscapes, Caribbean
beach scenes and some new Carolina waterfalls. The Showcases display the work of woodcarver
George Brooks formeriy of Emerald Isle. Mr. Brook’s favorite subjects are the coastal birds
that inhabit our coast.
Reception for Artists on Friday, July 14 at 3 p.m. at the library. Come and meet our
featured artists. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Library and is free and open to
the public. Light refreshments will be served.
Storytimes will be held each Thursday in July at 10 a.m. for preschoolers and on the first
and third Wednesday at 10 am for toddlers. All programs are with Ms. Brita.
Regular hours are Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Bogue Banks
Public Library is a branch of the Carteret County Public Library in Beaufort and is affiliated
with the Craven-Pamlico-Carteret Regional Library.
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