Clinocardium Nuttallii (Nuttal's Cockle)

Description:

• Bilateral Symmetry
• Heart-like shaped.
• Outer lip of flesh around the margin of the shell sports tiny tentacles and eyes that are used to detect nearby movement and chemicals.
• Ability to sense and avoid danger by using its well-developed foot to flip away.
• Live anywhere between 15 and 19 years.
• Average size ranges from 3.5 to 5.5 inches.

Taxonomy:

• Animalia
• Mollusca
• Bivalvia
• Veneroida
• Cardiidae
• Clinocardium
• C.Nuttalli

Ecology/ Features:

• Found in muddy to pure sand in sheltered conditions
• Found in vertical ranges from mid intertidal to a depth of 100 feet.
• Areas that support eelgrass tend to have a higher population.
• May contain small commensal pea crab inside the mantle cavity that feeds on materials strained out of the incurrent water stream by the clam's gills.
• Feeds on algae.
• Reproduction occurs in spring.
• Stays attached with mother until full maturation stage is reached.

Parasitism (Bonus)

This picture present Parasitism, a symbiotic relationship in which the parasite benefits at the expense of the host. In this picture, we a sea eagle feed on Flat Head fish eggs.

Pagurus Hirsutiusculus (Hairy Hermit Crab)

Description:

• Colour ranges from olive green to brown, to black.
• Measures in length up to 19mm.
• Exoskeleton
• Bilateral Symmetry
• Four legs.

Taxonomy:

• Animalia
• Arthropoda
• Malacostraca
• Decapoda
• Paguridae
• Pagurus/li>
• P. Hirsutiusculus

Ecology/ Features:

• Found along the coast from Alaska to California.
• Commonly found in tide pools with sand or rock.
• Lives in calm waters.
• Feeds on seaweed.
• Live in depths from middle intertidal zone to 110m.

Fucus Spiralis (Rockweed)

Description:

• Around 20cm.
• Has a mid-rib.
• Has a flattened blade.
• Brownish- Yellowish Fonds.
• Bilaterally symmetrical bodies.

Taxonomy:

• Protista
• Heterokontophyta
• Phaeophyceae
• Fucales
• Fucaceae
• Fucus
• F. Spiralis

Ecology/ Features:

• Generally attached to a rock.
• Usually grows high up on sheltered shores using a holdfast.
• Ability to survive long periods without water by curling and drying the fronds so that there is less surface area.
• The fronds produce slimy mucus to keep moist.
• The orange, swollen tips are reproductive bodies.

Crassostrea Gigas (Pacific Oyster)

Description:

• It's large, and rounded.
• Radial folds are extremely rough and sharp.
• Mature specimen can vary from 80mm to 400mm long.
• The two valves of the shell are slightly different in size and shape.
• Shell color varies, inside is pale white.
• Bilateral Symmetry
• Hydrostatic Skeleton

Taxonomy:

• Animalia
• Mollusca
• Bivalvia
• Ostreoida
• Ostereidae
• Crassostrea
• C. Gigas

Ecology/ Features:

• Native to Pacific Coast of Asia.
• Can be found in intertidal and subtidal zones.
• Larvae often settle on the shell of adults.
• May be hermaphrodites.

Dendraster Excentricus (Pacific Sand Dollar)

Description:

• May be brown, black, or purple in color.
• The size varies from 76 mm to 120 mm wide.
• Endoskeleton
• Spiny tube-like feet with cilia.

Taxonomy:

• Animalia
• Echinodermata
• Echinoidea
• Clypeasteroida
• Dendrasteridae
• Dendraster
• D. Excentricus

Ecology/ Features:

• Found living along the Pacific Ocean.
• Can live at a depth of 40 to 90 metres.
• Feed on larvae, copepods, diatoms, plankton, and detritus.
• Usually found in intertidial zone.
• Motion as a result of moving their spines.
• Coelom connects to tube feet.

Pisaster Ochraceus (Ochre Sea Star)

Description:

• Identified as a keystone species.
• Range in 10 to 25 centimeters in size.
• Endoskeleton
• RadialSymmetry
• Ill- defined central disk.

Taxonomy:

• Animalia
• Echinodermata
• Asteroidea
• Forcipulatida
• Asteriidae
• Pisaster
• P. Ochraceus

Ecology/ Features:

• Considered important indicator for the health of the intertidal zone.
• Ususally on mussel beds and on wave washed rocky shores.
• Found along the Pacific coastline.
• Only a few natural predators.
• Only a few natural predators.
• Feed on plankton, chitons, limpets, snails, and barnacles.