Biodiversity of Alabama:Biodiversity of Alabama:100 Species to Know100 Species to Know

Common Aquatic SpeciesCommon Aquatic Species

Freshwater SpeciesFreshwater Species

37. Cattails37. Cattails Grow around wet areasGrow around wet areas Female flowers are brown, male flowers above Female flowers are brown, male flowers above

themthem Brown stalk becomes fluffy, seeds dispersed by Brown stalk becomes fluffy, seeds dispersed by

windwind Important habitat for animals (protection, Important habitat for animals (protection,

nesting)nesting)

38. Cahaba Lily 38. Cahaba Lily Hymenocallis coronaria Requires fast-moving water (shoals)Requires fast-moving water (shoals) Numbers declining due to damming of riversNumbers declining due to damming of rivers Only blooms for a few weeks in May/June – Cahaba Lily festivalOnly blooms for a few weeks in May/June – Cahaba Lily festival Each flower blooms for a single day Each flower blooms for a single day

39. Phytoplankton Microscopic green plants that float in the

water, many different species Important for two reasons:

1. they are the producers that form the base of aquatic food chains2. they produce a lot of oxygen in photosynthesis

40. Zooplankton Microscopic animals that float in the water, many

species but one common type here are copepods (crustaceans related to shrimp)

Important as primary consumers in aquatic food chains:phytoplankton zooplankton small fish large fish

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/index.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/pond/

41. Dragonfly41. Dragonfly Territorial, predatory insects Territorial, predatory insects Nymphs (immature insects) live in the water, Nymphs (immature insects) live in the water,

wingless, emerges as a winged adult after wingless, emerges as a winged adult after metamorphosismetamorphosis

Nymphs are an important food source for many Nymphs are an important food source for many aquatic predators, like fish, frogs, turtles, aquatic predators, like fish, frogs, turtles,

Nymph lives underwater, is a predator

Adult flies around ponds, catches prey on the wing

42. Least Crayfish42. Least Crayfish Common crustacean in sluggish Common crustacean in sluggish

waterswaters ScavengerScavenger Alabama has 83 species of crayfish, Alabama has 83 species of crayfish,

more than any other statemore than any other state

43. Water strider 43. Water strider A true bug (hemiptera) A true bug (hemiptera) ““Walks on water” due to water’s Walks on water” due to water’s

surface tensionsurface tension

44. American Bullfrog44. American BullfrogRana catesbianaRana catesbiana Very common near pondsVery common near ponds Very large, noisy greenish brown frogVery large, noisy greenish brown frog Carnivore – eats anything it can catch and stuff Carnivore – eats anything it can catch and stuff

in its mouth (insects, worms, small turtles, in its mouth (insects, worms, small turtles, frogs, even birds and small rodents)frogs, even birds and small rodents)

45. Yellow-bellied slider45. Yellow-bellied sliderTrachemys scripta scriptaTrachemys scripta scripta Very common in rivers, Very common in rivers,

pondsponds Yellow underside of Yellow underside of

shell, lines on topshell, lines on top DiurnalDiurnal – active in the – active in the

day, often basks on logs day, often basks on logs in waterin water

Omnivores – growing Omnivores – growing young eat more animals, young eat more animals, adults eat more plantsadults eat more plants

Sometimes sold as petsSometimes sold as pets

46. Alligator snapping turtle 46. Alligator snapping turtle Macrochelys temminckiiMacrochelys temminckii Largest freshwater turtle in North Largest freshwater turtle in North

America (100+ pounds), found only in America (100+ pounds), found only in southsouth

Thick neck and heavy body, spiky shellThick neck and heavy body, spiky shell Ambush predator, sits with mouth open Ambush predator, sits with mouth open

exposing wormlike tongue that lures in exposing wormlike tongue that lures in prey, then snaps shut on preyprey, then snaps shut on prey

47. Bluegill Sunfish (common name: 47. Bluegill Sunfish (common name: brim)brim)

Lepomis macrochirusLepomis macrochirus Name comes from dark blue flap on Name comes from dark blue flap on

gill covergill cover Unusual because the male builds a Unusual because the male builds a

nest (scooped-out depression on nest (scooped-out depression on muddy bottom) and tends to the muddy bottom) and tends to the eggs eggs

48. Channel Catfish48. Channel CatfishIctalurus punctatusIctalurus punctatus Has distinctive “whiskers” or barbelsHas distinctive “whiskers” or barbels Feed on insect larvae, crayfish, snails, Feed on insect larvae, crayfish, snails,

small fishsmall fish State record: 40 lbsState record: 40 lbs Now farmed (aquaculture) Now farmed (aquaculture) Good eats!Good eats! Noodling – not recommended!Noodling – not recommended!

49. Crappie49. Crappie

Two types in ALTwo types in AL Crappie live primarily in rivers Crappie live primarily in rivers

and reservoirs, although small and reservoirs, although small individuals occasionally enter individuals occasionally enter small streams. small streams.

Prior to spawning, adult Prior to spawning, adult crappie aggregate into crappie aggregate into schools, move into shallow schools, move into shallow water, and aggressively feed water, and aggressively feed on small fish. During this time on small fish. During this time anglers catch thousands of anglers catch thousands of white and black crappie on white and black crappie on live minnows and jigs around live minnows and jigs around aquatic vegetation, aquatic vegetation, submerged logs, and other submerged logs, and other structures.structures.

Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus

White CrappiePomoxis annularis

50. Alligator Gar50. Alligator Gar

Atractosteus spatulaAtractosteus spatula Found in Mobile delta, nearby Found in Mobile delta, nearby

coastal waterscoastal waters Predator, has two rows of sharp Predator, has two rows of sharp

teethteeth Gets to be very large, record: 151 Gets to be very large, record: 151

poundspounds

51. Brown Water Snake51. Brown Water Snake Common in southeast AL coastal Common in southeast AL coastal

plainplain Found near flowing water of rivers, Found near flowing water of rivers,

canals and blackwater cypress canals and blackwater cypress creeks, often in treescreeks, often in trees

Eats mammals but also fish and Eats mammals but also fish and lizardslizards

52. Mallard52. Mallard

Anas platyrhynchosAnas platyrhynchos Most common duck in N. AmericaMost common duck in N. America Lives in AL except in summer when it migrates Lives in AL except in summer when it migrates

to breed in northern statesto breed in northern states Found in shallow water of ponds, lakes, Found in shallow water of ponds, lakes,

marshes, and flooded fields where it feeds on marshes, and flooded fields where it feeds on plants plants

Sexual dimorphism – males have green headsSexual dimorphism – males have green heads

53. Beaver

Castor canadensis Once almost extirpated, now

common. Found statewide in all habitats

with open water. Considered a pest in some

areas, because of flooding caused by construction of dams.

In April-June, three to five young born after a gestation of about 107 days.

Sexual maturity reached at two years.

Diet includes leaves, branches, and bark of most kinds of woody plants that grow near water.

Saltwater speciesSaltwater species

54. Sea Oats54. Sea Oats Type of grass Type of grass

named for named for resemblance to resemblance to oatsoats

Seeds are Seeds are important food for important food for some beach some beach animalsanimals

Help stabilize Help stabilize dunesdunes

55. Blue Crab55. Blue Crab

Callinectes sapidusCallinectes sapidus Crustacean, economically important Crustacean, economically important

as a food sourceas a food source Widely distributed along east coast Widely distributed along east coast

of North and South Americaof North and South America

56. Bull Shark 56. Bull Shark Carcharhinus leucasCarcharhinus leucas Large, stocky shark – “pit bulls” of the Large, stocky shark – “pit bulls” of the

seasea Can be aggressive, inhabits shallow Can be aggressive, inhabits shallow

waters and can go into rivers, known to waters and can go into rivers, known to bite people bite people

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9kkfX1d6N4v=E9kkfX1d6N4

57. Bottlenose Dolphin57. Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatusTursiops truncatus Mammal, not fishMammal, not fish Most common Most common cetaceancetacean (member of (member of

the whale order) on the Gulf Coastthe whale order) on the Gulf Coast Very intelligentVery intelligent