68 Dead Giant Pacific Chitons

[Tubesnout23]

Yesterday I went to walk on the beach at Fort Ebey State Park, Whidbey Island, on the northern side opposite to the spot where surfers take their boards when the sea is wrinkled by big swells. This time I did not end up picking up the usual trash, the beach was pretty clean, but photographing 68 dead Giant Pacific Chitons. I could not believe my eyes when I saw how many dead chitons were packed in about 380 feet of shore. It is not unusual to see these animals washed out on beaches dead, but I usually see two or three not sixty-eight!

I don't know why so many of these chitons died and got washed out in such short stretch of beach. Poisoning? (Except for a dead sea star and sea pen I did not see dead fish among the chitons). Fishing operations like trawling? Old age? (They were more or less the size of my hand, about 7/9 inches long or less)

to look at the images go to:

http://openwaterbubbles.blogspot.com/20 ... _8681.html

[spatman]

it was Colonel Mustard in the Attic with the Candlestick.

[dwashbur]

When I saw the title I thought this was going to be one of those "99 bottles of beer on the wall" things............

[nwscubamom]

Betty, I'm firing off a letter to some local expert types to see if they have any ideas.

That's pretty astounding. Musta been the Navy. Yeah, that's it. Navy testing!

I'll see what the expert dudes come up with. I'm sure at a loss.

- Janna

[Tubesnout23]

Somebody suggested that it may have been the cold that we had in December (a bunch of chitons died for this reason in the San Juan Islands). But can gumboot chitons be exposed during a low tide? I have never seen one so far.

About the Navy... As far as I understood the Navy releases all sorts of nasty chemicals in the water but do they have such a dramatic effect on chitons? Maybe a post-mortem autopsy could help to identify the cause?

[nwscubamom]

Finally, an answer!!

And of all people, Dr. Roland Anderson (Mr. Octopus) at the Seattle aquarium answered it:

here's the reason...
Yes! I know this beach well and I've seen this die off in years past always about this time of year.. There are a number of glacial erratic rocks offshore seen while diving, solitary rocks, with gumboot chitons living on them. These are two-three foot rocks. Some have kelp growing on them. I suspect the chitons get too big for their rocks and get washed off in winter storms only to be found on the beach in early spring when tides and weather allow people to walk the beaches again.

This die-off has been brought to my attention at least three other years at this time so I'm pretty confidant in my assessment. This does not happen at other times of the year.

Best regards,
Roland C. Anderson, Ph.D.
Biologist
The Seattle Aquarium
1483 Alaskan Way
Seattle, WA 98101 USA
phone: 206-386-4359
Welfare Editor, DAO

[Tangfish]

Our members have been amazing at bringing to attention important matters and then getting the corresponding answers, lately. Kudos!

[mattwave]

Yesterday I went to walk on the beach at Fort Ebey State Park, Whidbey Island, on the northern side opposite to the spot where surfers take their boards when the sea is wrinkled by big swells.

Any paragliders out?

disclaimer- sorry for the hijack, just jonezn for some soaring