LONG BEACH ISLAND-Sand dollars have been reported washed ashore along Long Beach Island and Clean Ocean Action would like to educate beachgoers on the difference between live sand dollars and their skeletons.
“Rumor has it, sand dollars have been washing ashore in LBI! When you’re walking on the beach, you may be lucky enough to find a sand dollar. What you’ll usually find is something called a test, which is the skeleton of a dead sand dollar. When they are alive, sand dollars look much different – like the one below,” Clean Ocean Action wrote on their Facebook Page. “They are covered with short, velvety spines that may be purple, reddish brown, yellowish, gray, green or black in color. Sand dollars are animals and they deserve to be protected. If you do find a live sand dollar please return it to the ocean.”
The top photo is a live sand dollar. The photo below is a test (skeleton) which are commonly found on New Jersey’s beaches.
Photos courtesy of Wikipedia. Learn more about sand dollars.
Visit Clean Ocean Action’s Facebook Page.
