aegean SECTION 2

Our Southern Aegean Sea Marine Life Database
is in five sections:

ALGAE

Algae are nonvascular aquatic plants, which means they are unable to transmit or circulate fluid. They are a division of the plant kingdom and are generally green, brown or red in color. They have a covering of mucus with a slippery feel, with a means of attachment, to the bottom, (not roots) and they often have a flat or feathery appearance. Species includes Kelps and seaweed and can range in size from phyphotoplankton to giant kelp.

The predominantly rocky shores around the south western shores of Turkey provide a perfect habitat for many species of algae. The very clear waters around the Turkish coast allow plants to thrive at depth due to the availability of light, essential for photosynthesis to occur in plants.

There are so many common types of seaweed to be found in Turkish waters it is impracticable to include them within the scope of this guide. Anyone interested in identifying the various species of seaweed should obtain one of the many botanical books specializing in algae.

KELP

Kelp is rare in the relatively warmer waters of the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas.

EEL GRASS or SEA GRASS (Zostera marina)

There are many fields of eel grass to be found in Turkish waters growing in sandy or muddy areas and between rocky outcrops, reaching as much as one meter in height. Eel grass is not an alga but one of a very few flowering marine plants related to seaweed and terrestrial plants. The flowers are inconspicuous in the leaf bases. Unlike algae it has a complex root system which is very important in the stabilization of sediment and another reason for the exceptionally clarity of the water around this part of the Turkish coast.

Often eel grass is considered by divers to be uninteresting, but close examination will reveal that it provides shelter for a host of marine animals.

BIVALVES

Bivalves (Class: Bivalvia) are bilaterally symmetrical mollusca have a laterally compressed body enclosed by a shell of two valves linked dorsally by a hinge. They have a ventral foot which does not have a crawling surface. Bivalves are filter feeders and their shells can vary from delicate to very strong. Some species have the ability to burrow into the sand while others secrete threads with which they bind themselves to rocks.

There are of course many bivalves inhabiting the Turkish coastal waters. Many shells belonging to a wide variety of species can be found on almost every dive and are too numerous to list in this guide. Common live examples of the larger species can also be found on almost every dive and some common examples are described below.

MEDITERRANEAN FAN MUSSEL or PEN SHELL (Pinna nobilis)

This large fan shaped mussel stand upright in muddy sand and gravel areas and is usually attached to sunken stones or rock by byssus threads. Colored red brown green they are often covered with a growth of weeds and other plants. Feeding is by filtration, siphoning water continuously between their partially open valves. If disturbed they quickly close, only opening slowly when they sense no danger. The byssus threads of this species were once used to in the manufacture of Cloth of Gold.

THORNY OYSTER (Spondylus gaederopus)

This species of bivalve is not uncommon but is often more difficult to find because their outer surface is usually encrusted with other invertebrates, algae or weed. They are distinctive, having many variable, blunt spines on their upper valve while the lower valve is attached permanently fused to rock. They are usually only noticeable when they suddenly close, which is usually when even the quietest of divers gets within 3 meters. The inside of the shell is white and they are usually a maximum of 10cms in diameter.

Many examples of burrowing bivalves can be found by sifting through the top surface of sandy bottoms, live specimens should of course after examination, be returned to their natural habitat under the sand.

COMMON OCTOPUS (Octopus vulgaris)

These harmless, (to divers), and intelligent animals can be found on most dives, although during the day they are difficult to find because they hide in rock crevices and among stones. The entrance to their lair is usually camouflaged with an arrangement of stones and shells, and it is the neatness of their work that makes their habitats relatively easy to spot, when you know what to look for. Despite their affinity for rocky areas they can be found in sandy areas where they burrow into the sand forming a funnel shaped lair lined and reinforced with rocks and the shells of their unfortunate former victims.

Unfortunately they are heavily fished to supply the demand of local restaurants. Their strong arms bear two rows of suckers and are usually green/ brown in color depending on their situation and rarely grow to more than 50cms in length in this region. On night dives in torch light the color changes can be quite spectacular flashing from light blue to deep brown. At night they can be seen roaming over the rocks in search of prey instantly changing color and altering their texture to match their surroundings.

During the early part of the season, around May and June, the female octopus builds a specially prepared nest in a hole in the rocks in which to lay her eggs. The entrance is blocked with rocks and it would appears that she does not feed during this time. Although the nurseries are easy to find, it is best to leave the mothers undisturbed.

LESSER OCTOPUS (Eledone cirrhosa)

This species of octopus is relatively rare during the daytime but can be seen on most night dives. They have long slender arms bearing only one row of suckers and they have a very soft texture. Colored coral pink to red brown with white spots, they do not have the same ability as the common octopus to change color or texture.

CUTTLEFISH and SQUID (order: Decapoda)

These cephalopods have cylindrically shaped bodies with lateral fins and have an internal shell or cuttlebone. The mouth is surrounded by 8 short and two longer tentacles.

COMMON CUTTLEFISH (Sepia officinalis)

The common cuttlefish is an intelligent and voracious nocturnal carnivore that can be seen on most night dives and occasionally during the day. They are able to change color and shape to resemble their background. If threatened, they eject ink into the water in order to mask their escape. If observer at night by torchlight the pale underside reflects a myriad of colors.

Because of their similarity there is often a great deal of confusion among divers whether what they have observed is a cuttlefish or a squid. More often than not it will be a cuttlefish that they have seen because most species of squid are pelagic and do not often venture close to the shore.

CNIDARIANS

Cnidarians (pronounced Cnidarians) are flower like in appearance with tentacles to trap food, they have stinging cells and come in a wide variety of often bright colors. species include Anemones, Corals and Jellyfish.

ANEMONES (Order: Actinaria)

Anemones are solitary anthozoans with no calcareous, hard skeleton. They are sedentary and can either burrow or adhere to rocks with a sucker like disc. They have simple, un-branched tentacles which are sometimes poisonous. Many other species exist here, and can be found both in sandy areas as well as in their normally rocky habitat.

JEWEL ANEMONE (Corynactis viridis)

The most common anemone in Turkish waters is the aptly named Jewel anemone, usually pink in color it has characteristic knobs at the end of stubby tentacles. Sometimes found in dark crevices or under rocks during the day they are abundant at night when they can be seen in large colonies. At night they open fully exposing a delightful array of sticky tentacles and can be observed grabbing any small sea creature unfortunate enough to come within grabbing distance. Often the myriad small sea creatures attracted by your dive torch provide a bountiful feast for any anemones in the vicinity.

CORAL (Order: Madreporaria)

Corals are anthozoans, often colonial, with hard calcareous skeletons into which the polyps can usually fully retract if disturbed. Examples of coral building can be found in small stems, however, plenitude and growth are insufficient to create the quantity of skeletal deposits required to create coral reefs.

Relatively rare in the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas though some species of coral can be found around the south western coast of Turkey, usually in infrequently dived areas and places protected by overhanging rocks or in crevices. Some very colorful soft corals can be observed in cave entrances and caverns. Hard and soft corals are rare here and care should be taken not to cause damage. No coral, hard or soft, should be touched or taken.

JELLYFISH (Class: Scypozoa)

Fairly rare in this part of Turkey there are some species to which can be seen at various times of the year.

COMMON JELLYFISH (Aurelia aurita)

This is the jellyfish most likely to be encountered in Turkish waters, it is transparent with a blue white tint, saucer shaped and can be up to 25cms in diameter. It has frilly mouth arms which are longer than the numerous short tentacles. It is recognizable by four distinctive purple colored, horseshoe shaped, reproductive organs visible when viewed from above.

SMALLER JELLYFISH (Pelagia noctiluca)

Also native to the Mediterranean but extremely rare in these waters is the Smaller Jellyfish, reaching a maximum diameter of 10cms it has four arms around its mouth and eight slender trailing tentacles longer than the mouth arms. It is transparent with a yellow red tint. If disturbed at night it becomes luminescent. Stings can be severe and painful.

CRUSTACEANS

Crustaceans have a hard outer horny shell with jointed legs, obvious eyes often on stalks and segmented bodies species includes Crabs, Crawfish, Lobsters, Prawns and Shrimps.

CRABS

There are over 4500 species of crabs, though there are relatively few to be found easily in this part of Turkey. These walking decapods belonging to the division (Brachyura) and are usually strong and powerfully built with a heavy exoskeleton. The carapace is flattened and rounded with the abdomen much reduced and folded forwards under the carapace. Antennae are usually short and the first pair of walking legs usually bear powerful claws. The other legs normally end in a claw like joint. Crabs have the most efficient method of walking of all the bottom walking crustaceans and is distinctive by their sideways gait, consequently they can achieve some speed.

HERMIT CRABS

These familiar seashore animals are easily recognizable because of their association with empty gastropod shells which protect their delicate soft skinned abdomens. Their body is adapted to occupy the typically right handed spiral of these shells though they can be found in a variety of other shells. They have the ability to assess the size and suitability of a shell by touch. Hermit crabs are carnivorous scavengers of the sea bottom. A little patience is required to see them extend their legs from their shell and scurry along the bottom. At the first sign of danger they withdraw quickly into their shell covering the entrance with one or both of their comparatively large claws. Many species can be seen in Turkish waters and the one most likely to be observed is the COMMON HERMIT CRAB (Eupagurus bernhardus), inhabited shells should of course not be taken.

LOBSTERS and CRAWFISH

Belonging to the suborder (Reptantia), lobsters and crawfish are walking decapods which live on the shore or seabed. They are strong and powerfully built and have heavy exoskeletons. The first pair of walking legs sometimes carry large claws, the other four pairs of legs are strong with pincers or claws. The last pair of abdominal appendages are modified to form a tail fan.

Some species are fairly common in Turkish waters but are rare within the permitted diving areas because they are taken for the table as soon as they are found.

SPINY LOBSTER (Palinurus vulgaris)

This is the most successful species of lobster found around Turkish shores possibly avoiding capture because it hides in rock crevices during the day venturing out usually only at night to feed. It has no claws but is recognizable by its two long antennae, it has extremely sharp spines and has to be handled with extreme care. Brown or red in color it can grow to 50cms in length, but this is unlikely in regularly dived areas.

Another species often seen only on night dives is the lobster (Scyllarides latus), which has very short antennae, and the second antennae are reduced to form 2 shield shaped structures on each side of the head. It has relatively short walking legs and spined abdominal segments which can cause bad wounds if mishandled by divers. Its eyes are widely spaced on its broad head giving it a stubby appearance, colored brown green it blends well into its normal habitat among rocks and weed.

PRAWNS and SHRIMPS

Prawns and shrimps belong to the suborder (Natantia), and are decapods which swim, they have light exoskeletons and usually have laterally flattened bodies. One pair of antenna are distinctly larger than the other. They often have a prominent rostrum which is the main feature used in the identification of different species. Several species can be found in Turkey, and are particularly visible in torch light on night dives when they can be observed in almost every crevice and small cavern.

SPINY SPIDER CRABS (Maia squinado)

Spiny spider crabs are very common here but are difficult to find because they promote weed growth and other marine plants on their carapace which makes them blend perfectly with their habitat. Often the only time they can be detected is when they are mobile and what appears to be a part of the bottom weed moves. They have a spiny carapace and the front legs have small pincers. The spiny spider crab is a favorite prey of the common octopus, and their distinctive ovoid shaped 'shells', with very sharp spines along each side, can often be found littered around octopus habitats. Rarely exceeding 15cms from leg to leg in Turkish waters.

By contrast their cousins, the Giant Spider Crabs of Japan, are the largest of all crabs measuring up to 8 meters (27ft) leg to leg with claws 3 meters (10ft) apart. If you meet one in Turkey and survive, let us know.

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