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The Oregon Coast Aquarium Intertidal Species Guide

This guide is meant to assist participants in our BioBlitz events with making accurate identifications of the species they observe.

Giant Green Anemone 1
Anthopleura xanthogrammica
Ochre Sea Star 2
Pisaster ochraceus
Aggregating Anemone 3
Anthopleura elegantissima
Acorn Barnacle 4
Balanus glandula
Gooseneck Barnacle
Pollicipes polymerus
Giant Acorn Barnacle 5
Balanus nubilus
Thatched Barnacle 6
Semibalanus cariosus
By-the-wind Sailor 7
Velella velella
Styela montereyensis 8
Dungeness Crab 9
Metacarcinus magister
Gumboot Chiton 10
Cryptochiton stelleri
leather bryozoan
Flustrellidra corniculata
Black Leather Chiton 11
Katharina tunicata
Purple Shore Crab 12
Hemigrapsus nudus
Striped Shore Crab 13
Pachygrapsus crassipes
Whitecap Limpet 14
Acmaea mitra
California Mussel 15
Mytilus californianus
Rough Keyhole Limpet 16
Diodora aspera
Opalescent Nudibranch 17
Hermissenda opalescens
Ophlitaspongia pennata
Sunflower Sea Star 18
Pycnopodia helianthoides
Red Sea Urchin 14
Strongylocentrotus franciscanus
Pacific Purple Sea Urchin 19
Strongylocentrotus purpuratus
Channeled Dog Winkle 14
Nucella canaliculata
Striped Dogwinkle 20
Nucella ostrina
Lurid Rocksnail 21
Ocinebrina lurida
Giant Feather Duster Worm 14
Eudistylia polymorpha
Moonglow Anemone 22
Anthopleura artemisia
Giant Green Anemone 1
Anthopleura xanthogrammica
Brooding Anemone 23
Epiactis prolifera
Acorn Barnacle 4
Balanus glandula
Giant Acorn Barnacle 5
Balanus nubilus
Aggregating Anemone 3
Anthopleura elegantissima
Christmas Anemone 24
Urticina crassicornis
Gooseneck Barnacle
Pollicipes polymerus
Thatched Barnacle 6
Semibalanus cariosus
leather bryozoan
Flustrellidra corniculata
Styela montereyensis 8
California Spiny Chiton 16
Nuttallina californica
Gumboot Chiton 10
Cryptochiton stelleri
Gould's baby chiton 16
Lepidochitona dentiens
By-the-wind Sailor 7
Velella velella
Woody Chiton 10
Mopalia lignosa
Mossy Chiton 25
Mopalia muscosa
Black Leather Chiton 11
Katharina tunicata
Lined Chiton 26
Tonicella lineata
Hairy Chiton 27
Mopalia ciliata
Veiled Chiton 16
Placiphorella velata
Pacific Rock Crab 28
Romaleon antennarium
Dungeness Crab 9
Metacarcinus magister
Pygmy Rock Crab
Glebocarcinus oregonensis
Striped Shore Crab 13
Pachygrapsus crassipes
Red Rock Crab 14
Cancer productus
Purple Shore Crab 12
Hemigrapsus nudus
pubescent porcelain crab 16
Pachycheles pubescens
Yellow Shore Crab 14
Hemigrapsus oregonensis
Thickclaw Porcelain Crab 23
Pachycheles rudis
Bering Hermit 18
Pagurus beringanus
Grainy Hermit Crab 29
Pagurus granosimanus
Hairy Hermit Crab 30
Pagurus hirsutiusculus
Blueband Hermit Crab 10
Pagurus samuelis
Flat Porcelain Crab 31
Petrolisthes cinctipes
Graceful Kelp Crab
Pugettia gracilis
Northern Kelp Crab
Pugettia producta
Cryptic Kelp Crab 5
Pugettia richii
Harford's Isopod 32
Cirolana harfordi
Common Rock Louse 28
Ligia pallasii
Rockweed isopod 33
Pentidotea wosnesenskii
Eelgrass Isopod 29
Idotea resecata
Small Isopod
Synidotea bicuspida
Seaweed Isopod 34
Idotea stenops
Rough Keyhole Limpet 16
Diodora aspera
Lottia asmi 35
Owl Limpet
Lottia gigantea
Shield Limpet 36
Lottia pelta
Rough Limpet 21
Lottia scabra
Mask Limpet 37
Lottia persona
Rough Limpet 21
Lottia scabra
Fingered Limpet
Lottia digitalis
California Mussel 15
Mytilus californianus
Northern Bay Mussel 38
Mytilus trossulus
Nanaimo Horned Dorid 39
Acanthodoris nanaimoensis
Three-lined Aeolid 5
Flabellina trilineata
Common Grey Sea Slug 40
Aeolidia papillosa
White Dendronotus 5
Dendronotus albus
Monterey Doris 22
Doris montereyensis
San Diego Dorid 16
Diaulula sandiegensis
False Sea Lemon 41
Peltodoris nobilis
Yellow-edged Cadlina 42
Cadlina luteomarginata
Thick-horned Nudibranch 5
Hermissenda crassicornis
White-and-Orange-Tipped Nudibranch 24
Janolus fuscus
Red Dorid 42
Rostanga pulchra
Sea Clown Triopha 39
Triopha catalinae
Painted Wentletrap 14
Epitonium tinctum
Neostylidium eschrichtii 18
Wrinkled Amphissa 43
Amphissa columbiana
Channeled Topsnail 16
Calliostoma canaliculatum
Blue-Ringed Top Snail 14
Calliostoma ligatum
Jeweled Top Snail 35
Calliostoma annulatum
Black Tegula 35
Tegula funebralis

Edited by Ian Throckmorton, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

Photo Credits

  • 1. (c) Stephen Bentsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
  • 2. (c) Steven Pavlov, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
  • 3. (c) Richard Droker, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
  • 4. (c) John D Reynolds, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by John D Reynolds
  • 5. (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda
  • 6. (c) Alison Young, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Alison Young
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  • 10. (c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY)
  • 11. (c) Images by John 'K', some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
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  • 13. (c) Peter D. Tillman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
  • 14. (c) Donna Pomeroy, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Donna Pomeroy
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  • 16. (c) Robin Gwen Agarwal, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Robin Gwen Agarwal
  • 17. (c) Ken Bondy, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
  • 18. (c) Paul Norwood, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Paul Norwood
  • 19. (c) Sarka Martinez, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Sarka Martinez
  • 20. (c) Rosa Laucci, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Rosa Laucci
  • 21. (c) Liam O'Brien, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Liam O'Brien
  • 22. (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY)
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  • 25. (c) Sarah Chinn, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sarah Chinn
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  • 28. no rights reserved, uploaded by Scott Loarie
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  • 31. (c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
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  • 34. (c) Tony Iwane, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tony Iwane
  • 35. (c) Femorale, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
  • 36. (c) Gena Bentall, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Gena Bentall
  • 37. (c) Sarka Martinez, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sarka Martinez
  • 38. (c) catchang, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by catchang
  • 39. (c) amy lemur, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
  • 40. (c) lhillmann, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
  • 41. (c) Robin Agarwal (ANudibranchMom on iNaturalist), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
  • 42. (c) matt knoth, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
  • 43. (c) EcologyWA, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

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