Beach 'roly polies' vanishing in Southern California, study says (LA Times)

[petronius]

Two tiny crustaceans whose burrows in the sand were once familiar sights to beachgoers are on their way to being extirpated from Southern California, according to a new study.

Scientists at UC Santa Barbara found that two species closely related to the roly poly have vanished from more than 60% of beaches from Point Conception to the U.S.-Mexico border, where they were recorded a century ago.

“We were really surprised at how strong the pattern of loss is,” said Jenny Dugan, a biologist at the university's Marine Science Institute. “They’re not going to last long in Southern California the way things are going.”

The trend is alarming, the researchers said, because the critters are considered indicator species whose steady decline over decades bodes ill for other creatures such as grunions and snowy plovers, which also need wide stretches of undisturbed sand to survive.

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http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-sci-sn-beach-roly-polies-extinction-california-20130719,0,4438992.story

I can't say I've ever actually noticed these particular creatures, although sand crabs and sand fleas are familiar. (Certainly had a lot of fun playing with pill bugs in the garden growing up, however... )

[dusty trails]

1. Beach 'roly polies' vanishing in Southern California

Having lived in southern CA a few decades (1976 - 2001),
I was picturing obese white humans slathered in sunscreen oil lounging atop the beach sands.

[ConcernedCanuk]

2. Me too - lived in SanDee for 14 month 79 -80

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On visits to Black's Beach I wished some people would keep their clothes ON.



CC