Common Name: Green sea turtle

Latin Name:  Chelonia mydas

Size/weight:  Green turtles are the largest of all the hard-shelled sea turtles. They can grow up to 4 feet long and 400+ pounds.

Range: Tropical and sub-tropical waters around the world. In the western Atlantic, as far north as Massachusetts (including Long Island Sound) in summers. Nesting occurs in over 80 countries.

Habitat:  Primarily coastal areas, where they’ll find the plants they eat. 

Diet: Adult green turtles are unique among sea turtles in that they eat only plants; they are herbivorous, feeding primarily on seagrasses and algae. This diet is thought to give them greenish-colored fat, from which they take their name.

Predators:  Newly hatched turtles are vulnerable to everything from raccoons and gulls to crabs and large fish. Some sharks may prey on adult sea turtles.

Description: Heart-shaped shell, small head and single-clawed flippers. Color will vary. The top shell (or carapace) is smooth with shades of black, gray, green, brown, and yellow; the bottom shell (or plastron) is yellowish white. Oxygen reserves allow them to dive without surfacing for 30 minutes and even sleep underwater for more than two hours without breathing.

Conservation Note:  Breeding populations in Florida & on Mexico’s Pacific coast are endangered. All other populations are threatened. Despite conservation agreements around the globe, the main threats remain the over-harvesting of eggs and adults, and from accidental mortality in the nets and long-lines of fishing and shrimping fleets.Artificial lights confuse the ocean-bound babies, causing them to lose their way. Real estate development eliminates their nesting habitat. And cast-off plastic bags, fishing line and other trash can suffocate, strangle or otherwise harm the animals.

See them in the Sea Turtle exhibit »

Common Name:  Harbor seal

Latin Name:  Phoca vitulina

Size/weight:  Between 5 and 6 feet long; 175 – 225 pounds. Males are sometimes larger.

Range:  Harbor seals can be found throughout the northern Atlantic, along both coasts.

Habitat: Harbor seals “haul out” on offshore rocks and sand bars in the Sound that are exposed during low tide. The term “haul out” refers both to the location like a rock where the seal is resting (the “haul out” site) and to the action of a seal climbing out of the water onto land (to “haul out”).

Diet: Varies regionally, but generally consists of fish, crabs, lobster and squid.

Predators: Main predators include killer whales and sharks. Large eagles, coyotes and gulls have been known to prey on seal pups.

Description: Harbor seals range in color from brown, tan, light grey and silver with dark spots. Their thick short coat is made of coarse guard hairs and finer, but denser under hairs.

Conservation Note:  Since the passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act in 1972, harbor seal populations have been rebounding from depletion by hunting and other threats. The generally improving health of Long Island Sound also seems to be a factor in the seals’ return.

See them in Newman’s Own Hall »

Common Name: North American river otter

Latin Name: Lontra canadensis

Size/weight:  Adult size is about 2.5 – 5 feet long (with tail) and 10 – 30 pounds.

Range: Throughout North America (Alaska, Canada and the lower 48 United States).

Habitat:  River otters can be found in or near fresh water (lakes, streams, marshes, etc…) and in brackish waters.  They build their dens (or take over abandoned dens of other animals) in riverbanks or in a natural hollow near the water.

Diet:  North American river otters find most of their food in the water; amphibians, fish, turtles, crayfish, crabs and other invertebrates are favorites.  Birds, eggs, aquatic plants, and small land mammals are sometimes on a river otter’s menu.

Predators:  Bobcats, coyotes, birds of prey, dogs. Hunting.

Description:  With their long, streamlined bodies and thick, tapered tails North American River otters are well suited to a life around the water.  Fur is thick and dark brown, lighter on the underside.  Long, sensitive whiskers help them find food under water.

Conservation Note:  Once a heavily hunted species, North American river otter populations continue to rebound. However, threats come from development and pollution, as otters prefer quiet areas with clean water.

See them in the Rivers to the Sound watershed gallery »

Common Name: Sand tiger shark

Latin Name: Carcharias taurus

Size/weight: Up to 10 or 11 feet long, though usually not that long.  Weight is up to 350 pounds.

Range:  Most warmer oceans, except the Eastern Pacific, including Long Island Sound.

Habitat:  Found most often in coastal waters, though sand tiger sharks can sometimes be found in deeper offshore waters.

Diet:  What’s not on the sand tiger shark’s menu?  Although they will eat almost anything (fish, crustaceans, etc…), because they are a slow-moving shark they tend to eat very little (in proportion to their body size)

Predators:  Humans and other sharks.

Description:  Sand tiger sharks are light brown to grey in color, with lighter shading on their undersides.  This “countershading” is a sort of camouflage that makes the animal more difficult for its prey to see.  A distinguishing factor is that, unlike most other sharks, the sand tiger shark’s two dorsal fins are about the same size.  And its teeth are visible at all times.

Conservation Note: Sand tiger shark pups practice in vitro cannibalism.  While still inside its mother, pups consume each other and any unhatched eggs until only one survives. And with only one pup born at a time, the sand tiger shark recovers slowly from population setbacks.

See them in the Ocean Beyond the Sound exhibit »

Common Name: Bluefish

Latin Name: Pomatomus saltatrix

Size/weight: Rarely seen larger than 20 pounds and 40 inches long.

Range: Western Atlantic populations range from Canada in the north to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico in the south (depending on season).

Habitat:  Adults inhabit coastal waters and are, at times, found in estuaries, harbors and off sandy beaches.

Diet: The bluefish’s diet includes squid, crabs, butterfish, menhaden, shad, herring, hake and smaller bluefish.  Bluefish are known as very aggressive fish and will often leave partially eaten or maimed prey behind.

Predators:  Sharks, tuna, striped bass, swordfish and humans.

Description:  Actually more green than blue, bluefish have strong, streamlined bodies and sharp, conical teeth.

Conservation Note:  Many fisheries managers believe that bluefish are being over-fished; populations may be on the brink of decline. However, Seafood Watch still lists bluefish as a Good Alternative, but consumers should limit consumption due to concerns about mercury or other contaminants.

See them seasonally in the Ocean Beyond the Sound exhibit »

Common Name: Atlantic cod

Latin Name: Gadus morhua

Size/weight: Up to 51 inches long and 77 pounds.

Range:  Found on both sides of the North Atlantic, on our side from Greenland to Cape Hatteras.

Habitat: Near the bottom of the water column in areas range from near shore to the edge of the continental shelf.

Diet: Cod are omnivorous, feeding on a wide variety of fish and invertebrates.

Predators: Humans, larger fish.

Description: Greenish, brown or grey dorsally, lighter shading ventrally.  Prominent barbel on chin.  Spots on back and sides.  Three dorsal fins and two anal fins.

Conservation Note:  Although fishing for cod was once a dominant part of the New England economy, in recent decades overfishing has severely depleted cod stocks. Thus, Seafood Watch lists Atlantic cod as a seafood to Avoid, except for cod obtained through hook-and-line fishing in the Gulf of Maine.

See them in "Go Fish!" and in the Depths of the Sound gallery (in the Shipwreck habitat) »

Common Name: Cownose ray

Latin Name: Rhinoptera bonasus

Size/weight:  Up to 45 inches wide (wing tip to wing tip) and 50 pounds.

Range:  Massachusetts to Brazil

Habitat:  Sandy, soft bottom areas.

Diet: Clams, oysters and bottom-dwelling invertebrates.

Predators:  Sharks are the cownose ray’s main predators.  Humans; disc-shaped cutouts of ray wings are sometimes passed off as scallop.  Cownose rays are also sometimes cut up as bait for other fish.

Description:  Grey on top and white on bottom, cownose rays have broad wings, a long thin tail, and a notched head that some say resembles a cow’s muzzle (hence the name “cownose” ray).  Sharp, venomous spine (stinger) at the base of the tail.  A relative of sharks and skates, the cownose ray’s skeleton is made up of cartilage, not bones.

Conservation Note:  Not listed as endangered or vulnerable.

See them in the Sharks & Rays Touch Pool »

Common Name:  Portly spider crab

Latin Name:  Libinia emarginata

Size/weight:  Body can be up to 4 inches in diameter with long legs extended outward increasing their overall size.

Range:  Nova Scotia to Florida or Texas.

Habitat:  Variety of bottom habitats in shallow and relatively deep water.

Diet:  A scavenger, the spider crab finds a variety of food on the ocean floor, including dead fish and attached animals (like sea squirts), sometimes even sea stars.

Predators: Gulls and other shore birds.

Description:  Brown to dull yellow with white claws; small, round, spiny body with pointy beak and long, thin legs ending in pincers of equal size and shape.  Sometimes called the “decorator crab” for its habit of covering itself with seaweed, algae and other objects as a means of camouflage.

Conservation Note:  Not listed as endangered or vulnerable.

See them in the Salt Marsh gallery and in the Touch Tank »

Common Name:  Flatclaw hermit Crab

Latin Name:  Pagurus pollicaris and p. longicarpus

Size/weight:  About 1⁄2 inch long & wide for P. longicarpus, one inch or more for P. pollicaris

Range: Gulf of Maine to Gulf of Mexico

Habitat:  Sandy and other bottom habitats in depths up to 150 feet.

Diet:  Food (detritus and algae) scavenged off the bottom and within the sand and mud.

Description:  The hermit crab is famous for borrowing the shells or snails or other animals as their own home.  Inside the shell, their hermit crab’s body is long, soft and roughly cylindrical with small appendages, antennae and prominent eye stalks.

Conservation Note:  Not listed as endangered or vulnerable.

See them in the Salt Marsh gallery and in the Touch Tank »

Common Name: Horseshoe crab

Latin Name: Limulus polyphemus

Size/weight:  Up to 24 inches long and 12 inches wide;  3 or 4 pounds.

Range: Found from Maine to the Yucatan (Mexico).

Habitat: Estuaries to continental shelf

Diet:  Worms, bivalves and other bottom dwelling creatures.

Predators:  Migratory shorebirds, humans (fishing bait).

Description:  The horseshoe crab’s name is somewhat misleading. Although it is shaped like a horseshoe, it’s no crab.  The horseshoe crab is an arachnid, a class of arthropods that also includes scorpions, spiders, mites and ticks.  With two main eyes, two simple (light sensing only) eyes and a mouth on the bottom, the horseshoe crab is well suited to life on the bottom.  A brownish segmented shell offers protection and a pointed tail helps the animal right itself; it’s not used for attacking or even self-defense.

Conservation Note: After surviving on Earth for 300 million years, horseshoe crab numbers are declining. A local study, in which The Maritime Aquarium participates, is looking to find out the health and habits of the horseshoe crab population in Long Island Sound.

See them in the Depths of the Sound gallery (in the Touch Tank, in their own Horseshoe Crabs exhibit and in the Schooling exhibit) »

Common Name: Moon jelly

Latin Name: Aurelia aurita

Size/weight: Up to 16 inches in diameter

Range:  Arctic to Florida or Mexican; in the Pacific from Alaska to southern California

Habitat: Floats near surface in offshore waters.

Diet: Small plankton, fish eggs, occasionally other developing jellies.

Predators: Sea turtles, sunfish.

Description: Translucent; recognizable for the four horseshoe-shaped organs in their center and a single row of short, hair-like tentacles around the bell.  Since they’re not really fish, it is more proper now to call them “jellies,” instead of jellyfish.  Moon jellies are only mildly toxic to most people; the sting is likely to cause nothing more than a persistent, itchy rash. But some folks may have more severe reactions.

Conservation Note: An abundant, non-threatened species.

See them in the Jellyfish Encounter exhibit »

Common Name: American or Northern lobster

Latin Name: Homarus americanus

Size/weight: Extreme cases: up to 40 pounds and 3 feet long

Range: Labrador to Cape Hatteras; most common from Nova Scotia to New York

Habitat:  Crevices or burrows in rocky reefs and muddy bottom habitats

Diet:  Fish, mollusks and other crustaceans scavenged on or near the bottom.

Predators: Sharks, cod, wolfish, goosefish, striped bass, and people with bowls of melted butter.

Description: Most common coloration is greenish brown, but genetic and other factors can produce lobsters of a wide variety of colors.  Two large front claws, one for grabbing and crushing, the other for ripping and tearing.  Eight legs extend from the carapace, segmented abdomen and wide tail.

Conservation Note: Lobster populations have been rebounding since a devastating die-off in Long Island Sound in 1999. But warming waters due to climate change threaten the lobster's long-term prospects in Long Island Sound.

See them in several habitats in the Depths of the Sound gallery »

Common Name: Atlantic menhaden; also known as bunker

Latin Name: Brevoortia tyrannus

Size/weight: Up to one foot in length.

Range: Nova Scotia to Florida

Habitat: Nearshore waters.

Diet: They’re filter-feeders, swimming with their mouths open to consume plankton.

Predators: Bluefish, striped bass, weakfish, mackerel, bluefin tuna and sharks. Also some whales and porpoises. We don’t eat menhaden (they’re too oily) but bluefish and striped bass love them so fishermen catch menhaden to use as bait.

Description:  Menhaden are a member of the herring family with silvery sides and a black spot behind the gills.  Fins lack spines.

Conservation Note: Vulnerable in some areas.

See them in the Depths of the Sound gallery (in the Schooling exhibit) »

Common Name: Atlantic salmon (East Coast)

Latin Name: Salmo salar

Size/weight: Up to 4.5 feet and 80 pounds

Range: Arctic Circle to Delaware River, also some landlocked populations.

Habitat: Coastal waters, as well as freshwater rivers and lakes.

Diet: Herring, capelin, sand eels and large plankton.

Predators: Seals, sharks, pollack, tuna, skates, halibut, cod, striped bass, bluefish; humans.

Description:  Long body, brownish above with silvery sides featuring black spots.  Lower jaw hooked up in breeding males, who may also feature red areas on their sides.  Spawns in fresh water, but spends most of its life at sea.

Conservation Note: Listed on the U.S. Endangered Species List due to overfishing, disease, interaction with hatchery populations, and dammed and polluted spawning rivers. Seafood Watch lists farmed Atlantic salmon as a seafood to Avoid, and says Alaskan wild salmon is the Best Choice.

See them in the Rivers to the Sound watershed gallery and in "Go Fish!" »

Common Name: Lined seahorse

Latin Name: Hippocampus erectus

Size/weight:  Up to 5 inches

Range: Nova Scotia to Argentina; Bermuda and Gulf of Mexico

Habitat: Found in shallow waters among grasses

Diet:  Brine shrimp and other live zooplankton.

Predators: Crabs, skates and rays; humans.

Description: Body is upright with a head (shaped liked a horse head) perpendicular to body.  Dorsal fin is fan shaped.  Tail is prehensile and lacks a caudal fin.  Color varies from light brown to almost black and can change depending on the background.  It is the male of the species that gives birth.

Conservation Note:  Considered a vulnerable species due to pollution, habitat destruction and overfishing (with a high demand from the Asian market for use in traditional medicines, and as a desirable fish for home aquariums).

See them in the Salt Marsh gallery and in the Marine Care & Culture Lab »

Common Name: Forbes sea star

Latin Name: Asterias forbesi

Size/weight: Five or so inches in diameter

Range: Gulf of Maine to Texas

Habitat: Low tide line to depths of 160 feet; rock, gravel or sandy bottom.

Diet: Clams, scallops and oysters.  Stomach is everted into the prey animal, where it digests the tissue.

Predators:  Spider crabs and, occasionally, lobsters.

Description: Five arms radiating from a central core with an eye at the end of each arm, thousands of tiny tube feet, and a mouth on bottom.  Tough, almost spiny skin; color brownish red or orange.  The sea star is able to regenerate severed arms.

Conservation Note: Not listed as threatened or endangered.

See them in the Salt Marsh gallery, at the Touch Tank and in the Depths of the Sound gallery (in the Pilings habitat, at the Touch Tank and in the Shipwreck habitat) »

Common Name:  Atlantic wolffish

Latin Name:  Anarhichas lupus

Size/weight:  Up to five feet long and 40 pounds; average is 3 feet and 15 pounds.

Range:  From Greenland to New Jersey

Habitat:  Hard bottoms from near shore down to 500 feet.

Diet:  Mollusks, echinoderms  and crustaceans.

Predators:  Humans, cod and some marine mammals.

Description:  Long body that tapers down to a slender tail; blueish grey with irregular vertical bars on its sides.  Long dorsal fin and protruding teeth.

Conservation Note:  Not listed as threatened or endangered.

See them in the Depths of the Sound gallery (in the Shipwreck habitat) and in “Go Fish!” »

Common Name:  Red-Eyed Tree Frog

Latin Name:  Agalychnis callidryas

Size/weight:  Small (2 to 3 inches)

Range:  Southern Mexico down through Central America to northeastern Colombia.

Habitat:  Lowland and hillside tropical forests, often near ponds and rivers.

Diet:  They are nocturnal hunters of flies, moths, caterpillars, beetles, ants, spiders, crickets and other invertebrates.

Predators:  Their markings help camouflage them from bats, snakes, lizards and birds. They are not poisonous.

Description:  Neon green back and a white stomach. The sides of the frog are purple or blue, with vertical white stripes and orange toes. Both females and males have bulging red eyes with vertically narrowed pupils resemble the eyes of domestic cats.

Conservation Note:  Though not considered to be threatened or endangered, deforestation continues to destroy red-eyed tree frog habitat throughout its range. They are also captured for zoos and the pet trade.

See them in “Frogs!” sponsored by UBS on the second floor above the Sharks & Rays Gallery »

Download a fun frogs activity sheet:

Frogs Activity Sheet