<P> Along with the moderate climate, rare coastline storms can have an important impact on observable vegetation patterns . The greatest storms to hit the Sound in the twentieth century were the 1938 hurricane, the 1955 hurricane, Hurricane Belle in 1976, Hurricane Gloria in 1985, and Hurricane Irene in 2011 . After Hurricane Belle, leaves near the coast were badly salt - burned, then turned brown and shriveled . Many trees were downed by the storm, leaving openings in the forest cover, promoting the growth of vines and shrubs . </P> <P> The Sound is inhabited by both marine fish and anadromous fish (oceanic or estuarine species that spawn in freshwater streams and rivers, see fish migration). </P> <P> The most common marine fish in the Sound include porgy, butterfish, winter flounder, summer flounder, windowpane flounder, fourspot flounder, northern and striped sea robin, little skate, menhaden, Atlantic silversides, black seabass, blackfish (tautog), cunner, bluefish, and smooth dogfish . Frequently Atlantic bonito and false albacore, both members of the tuna family, enter the sound and can be caught by anglers from small boats and shore . Many species have declined rapidly since 1975 due to over fishing . Winter flounder may not be currently present except for rare, small local populations . Tautog and summer flounder are also less numerous . Anadromous fishes include striped bass, white perch, alewives, blueback herring, and American and hickory shad . Although several shark species likely infrequently wander in and out of the Sound, e.g. blue shark, mako shark, hammerhead shark & thresher shark, there are only four species of sharks which are regularly found in the area . These are the sand tiger shark, the sandbar shark, the spiny dogfish and the smooth dogfish . </P> <P> Mollusks (gastropods and bivalves) that can be found include the rough periwinkle near the high - tide line, the European periwinkle, the northern yellow periwinkle, the blue mussel (a popular, edible species), the eastern oyster, the Atlantic slipper shell or "common slippershell" (Crepidula fornicata), the hard clam (also known as the quahog, little neck clam or cherrystone clam), the Atlantic bay scallop, the mud snail (also known as the eastern mud nassa), the salt marsh snail (or "coffee bean snail"), the Atlantic oyster drill, the northern moon snail, Atlantic moon snail, the channeled and knobbed whelks . </P>

Do sharks live in the long island sound