Ammodytes americanus
Size: to 8"
Habitat: inshore waters, from surface to bottom
Notes: The Sand Lance is an important link in the marine food chain. It is a major part of the diet of many commercially important fishes, as well as whales and seals. Sand Lances form huge schools to feed on phytoplankton and have the ability to dive into the bottom sediments to escape predators. I have never seen a live one, but they are common in the bellies of other fishes that you may catch.
All woods turn black after prolonged immersion.
Botanically, wood is the xylem tissue that forms the bulk of the stem of a woody plant. Xylem conducts sap upward from the roots to the leaves, stores food in the form of complex carbohydrates, and provides support; it is made up of various types of cells specialized for each of these purposes. Among them are tracheids, elongated conduction and support cells; parenchyma ( food storage ) cells, some of which form rays for transverse conduction; xylem vessels, formed of hollow cells joined end to end; and fiber cells that reinforce these tubes. In the conifers the xylem is made up mainly of tracheids, thus presenting a uniform, nonporous appearance; their wood is called softwood. Deciduous trees have more complex xylem, permeated by vessels, and are called hardwoods, although the description is sometimes inaccurate.
More: Wood & Organic Materials ...
