provided to The Santiva Chronicle
The Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club is all about conchology– the science and collection of shells. But did you know that the Shell Club also has a keen interest in water quality and malacology, the science of the live animals that make the shells we all love.
One of these animals will be featured in a video presentation during the free 2021 Virtual Sanibel Shell Show that will premiere from noon to 3 p.m. p.m. EST March 5-6 on the Shell Club’s YouTube channel. This video all about the ever popular sand dollar is narrated by Sanibel Sea School’s Education Program Manager Shannon Stainken. Sand dollars are one of the most popular types of echinoderms collected on Sanibel Island when enthusiasts go shelling.
You will learn what sand dollars can do with their feet, what and how they eat, how to tell if they are alive, what color a live sand dollar will turn your fingers, how they got their name, and yes, there’s more! Sand dollars, sea stars, sea urchins and sea cucumbers are very much alike even through they are very different in appearance. Shannon discusses their surprising similarities.
This is one of 35 original videos that will be featured inn the show. Topics range from creating shell art, to tours of a museum collection, a “behind the scenes” tour of the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum’s new aquarium, visits to universities studying mollusks and ocean water quality, and fun DIY projects. This fascinating lineup of videos will include several on malacological topics such as beautiful footage of live mollusks, and a seafloor survey of deep water mollusks such as Junonias.
For questions, email shellshow@sanibelshellclub.com. Or visit https://sanibelshellclub.com/virtual-2021-sanibel-shell-show/.
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