mermaid's purse
Beached skate pouch
A mermaid's purse is the leathery egg case of a shark, skate, or ray, often found washed up on beaches after the embryo has hatched.
The cases are rectangular or pouch-shaped with tendrils at the corners that anchor them to seaweed or rocks.
Beachcombers collect them as curiosities: We found three mermaid's purses along the tideline.
Cartilaginous marine predator
- skateGliding boot or flatfish
- rayNarrow light emission
- catsharkSmall benthic elasmobranch, slit-eyed
- dogfishSmall cartilaginous fish
chimaera · cartilaginous · oviparous · nursery · pup · benthic · seabed · bottom-dweller
Organism before birth
- yolkEgg's nutrient core
- capsuleEnclosed dose container
- keratinStructural hair protein
- collagenStructural body protein
leathery · oviparous · incubation · hatchling · development · gestation · protection · tendrils
shark
Cartilaginous marine predator
dogfish · chimaera · cartilaginous · oviparous · nursery · pup · benthic · seabed · bottom-dweller · clasper
embryo
Organism before birth
collagen · leathery · oviparous · incubation · hatchling · development · gestation · protection · tendrils · horns
strandline
Tide's deposit line
- flotsamDebris from wrecked vessels
- jetsamGoods deliberately discarded at sea
- wrackDestruction or marine debris
seaweed · kelp · tide pool · shoreline · driftwood · shell · discovery · naturalist · collection · curiosity
myth
Traditional explanatory tale
mystery · curiosity · folklore · lore · tales · whimsical · naming · sea witch · enchantment · superstition