doctidepool field guide
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tidepool field guide
Trek the Tide Pool Field Guide How many of these Puget Sound animals can you find? Photographed by Becky Kirsch Photographed by Randy Shuman Graceful Crab Cancer gracilis Shell to 4 ½” wide Legs purple, claws purple with white tips. Red Rock Crab Cancer productus Shell to 8” wide, female to 6 1/4” wide Brick red fan-shaped carapace with back-tipped pincers. Photographed by Amy Hale Photographed by Seattle Aquarium Bay Ghost Shrimp Neotrypaea californiensis To 4” long Smooth body in white, pink, orange, or yellow. One claw larger, especially in males. Widehand Hermit Crab Elassochirus tenuimanus To 1 1/2” long Orange, blue, and brown coloration. Large, flattened right claw with a ‘wide hand’. Photographed by Seattle Aquarium Acorn Barnacle Balanus glandula To ¾” in diameter, 3/8” high White to gray, volcano-shaped. Inner plates close tightly to protect the animal from predators and low tides. Photographed by Jennifer Vanderhoof Photographed by Amy Hale Rough Keyhole Limpet Diodora aspera To 2 3/4” long Oval shell light brown to gray, often with stripes. Ridges radiate from top of shell. Prominent off-center opening at top of shell. Dungeness Crab Cancer magister Shell to 10” wide, females to 7” wide Red-brown to purple shell, claws with white tips. Kelp Crab Pugettia producta Shell to 3 1/2” wide Olive, brown, or red in color. Usually in or on seaweed. Photographed by Amy Hale Grainyhand Hermit Crab Pagurus granosimanus To ¾” long Dull green with blue or whitish spots covering body. Antennae are orange and unbanded. Lewis’s Moon Snail Lunatia lewisii To 5 ½” high Yellowish to brown shell with six rounded whorls. Enormous pink to brown, fleshy foot. Photographed by Amy Hale Photographed by Amy Hale Photographed by Randy Shuman Photographed by Amy Hale Photographed by Randy Shuman Black-Eyed Hermit Crab Pagurus armatus To 1 5/8” long Large, oval, black eyes. Orange and white bands on legs. Photographed by Amy Hale Calcareous Tube Worm Serpula vermicularis To 4” long White tube with red, orange, or pink feather-type tentacles. Photographed by Amy Hale Checkered Periwinkle Littorina scutulata To 5/8” long Smooth brown or black, elongated shell. Often checkered with white spots. Usually found in the splash zone, can only survive for a short time underwater. Decorator Crab Oregonia gracilis Shell to 1 1/2” wide Long, slender legs. Shell grey or tan but usually ‘decorated’ with sponges, hydroids, algae, and other growths. Shore Crab Various species Shell to 2 1/4” wide Hides under rocks in the intertidal zone. Color can be purple, gray, green, white, or mottled. Photographed by Amy Hale Giant Plumose Anemone Metridium giganteum To 4” in diameter at base, 4-39” high White, brown, or orange body with frilly tentacles. Photographed by Amy Hale Pacific Blue Mussel Mytilus trossulus To 6” long usually smaller Two blue to black shells, sometimes tan or brown. Photographed by Becky Kirsch Aggregating Anemone Anthopleura elegantissima 3” in diameter Pale green tentacles with pinkish tips and a pale green body. In colonies attached to rocks above the low tide line. Photographed by Amy Hale Heart Cockle Clinocardium nuttallii To 5 1/2” long. Shell is as high as it is long, covered with prominent ribs. Heart-shaped from side view. Photographed by Amy Hale http://dnr.metrokc.gov http://dnr.metrokc.gov http://dnr.metrokc.gov Mossy Chiton Mopalia muscosa To 2 ¾” long Eight plates that are brown, gray, or black. Outer girdle covered in stiff hairs. Lined Chiton Tonicella lineate To 2” long Eight plates with light and dark zigzag lines in a variety of colors from pink to orange-red. Gumboot Chiton Cryptochiton stelleri To 13” long Red-brown girdle completely covers eight plates. Photographed by Seattle Aquarium Photographed by Amy Hale http://dnr.metrokc.gov Purple Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus Shell to 4” wide, spines to 1” long Purple to purplish-red with short, stout spines. Photographed by Becky Kirsch Eccentric Sand Dollar Dendraster excentricus To 4” in diameter Covering of tiny spines and tube feet give live specimens a dark, velvety, purple color. The shells (tests) of dead sand dollars are off-white. Red Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus franciscanus Shell to 6 1/2” wide, spines to 3” long Red to purple with elongated spines. Photographed by Jen Mack Blood Star Henricia leviuscula To 8” in diameter Usually blood red, often with a gray patch. Typically with 5 slender arms. Photographed by Becky Kirsch Tidepool Sculpin Oligocottus maculosus To 3 1/2” long Color varies from brown to green to reddish on dorsal side, fading to lighter hues on underside. Five irregular dark saddles across back. Photographed by Becky Kirsch Orange Sea Cucumber Cucumaria miniata To 4-8” long Orange-red to brown with rows of brown tube feet. Bright orange feeding tentacles at one end of body. California Sea Cucumber Parastichopus californicus To 20” long Usually mottled reddish-brown with soft projections along entire body. A circle of 20 bushy feeding tentacles at one end. Photographed by Amy Hale Photographed by Seattle Aquarium Rainbow Star Orthasterias koehleri To 16” in diameter Bright pink to red with gray or yellow banding and prominent spines. Five long arms. Green Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis Shell to 3 ¼” wide, spines to 1” long Usually green-brown with short spines. Photographed by Amy Hale Leather Star Asteriopaia imbricata To 12” in diameter Upper surface is gray with patches of red, brown, and purple. Smooth to the touch, with a garlic-like odor. Ochre Star Pisaster ochraceus To 14” in diameter Orange, purple, or brown with a network of white spines. Five stout arms. Shorter, thicker arms than mottled star. Photographed by Amy Hale Mottled Star Evasterias troschelii To 16” in diameter Similar to ochre star but smaller disc. Orange, brown, or blue-gray with five long, slender arms. Photographed by Amy Hale Pink Short-Spined Star Pisaster brevispinus To 26” in diameter Pink to almost white with short spines. Five large, stiff arms. http://dnr.metrokc.gov Stimpson’s Sun Star Solaster stimpsoni To 16” in diameter Blue, pink, red, or orange with a blue or purple stripe down each slender arm. Usually 10 arms. Photographed by Amy Hale Sunflower Star Pycnopodia helianthoides To 39” in diameter Yellow, orange, brown, pink, red, or purple. A broad, soft disc with up to 24 arms.
