Category Archives: Archived Video

Eupentacta quinquesemita:white sea cucumber–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Here are the tentacles extended on a cluster of Eupentaca.Their bodies are hidden. Photo by Dr.A. Svoboda

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Eupentacta quinquesemita is stiff to touch due to abundant calcareous ossicles in the skin and tube feet. The body grows 4-8 cm in length. The non-retractile tube feet give it a spiky look. It has five rows of tube feet (four tube feet in width) with smooth skin between. The two ventral feeding tentacles are smaller than the other eight. This character is useful for identifying this species when only the tentacles are visible. The expanded tentacles are creamy white with tinges of yellow or pink at the bases.

Skin ossicles: numerous large, porous, ovoid bodies dominate the ossicles but among them are small, delicate baskets. The latter are important in differentiating this species from Eupentacta pseudoquinquesemita.

HABITAT

They are fairly common under the rocks and in cervices, low intertidal zone on rocky shores; common on concrete piles and marina floats in Monterey harbor, Vancouver (British Columbia) to Morro Bay (San Luis Obispo. Co). High densities of this species occur in strong currents. Juveniles (up to 1 cm) settle among hydroids and small algae in high current areas and on floating docks.

REPRODUCTION

Eupentacta quinquesemita is a suspension feeder. It spawns from late March to mid May. The female produces eggs greenish in color, 370 to 416 um diameter: the male releases sperm, and fertilization takes place in open water. The yolky egg develops into a non-feeding evenly ciliated larva. In culture, the larva grows to the armoured stage in 11 to 16.5 days.

 

PREDATORS

The predators of Eupentacta quinquesemita are: the Sun Star (Solaster stimpsoni), the Sunflower Star (Pycnopodia helianthoides), the Six-armed Star (Leptasterias hexactis) and the Kelp Greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus).

BIOTIC ASOCIATION

The internal parasite, Thyonicola americana, a shell-less wormlike snail, attaches elongated coils of eggs to the intestine of E. quinquesemita. The larvae are released into the intestine and probably scape through the anus. Any parasites that are ejected by evisceration perish.

FEEDING

Is by shovelling of sediment into the mouth and digesting the microfauna within. No direct feeding is required. Is omnivore.

DomainEukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Echinodermata
Class Holothuroidea
SubclassDendrochirotacea
Order Dendrochirotida
Family Sclerodactylidae
Genus Eupentacta
Species quinquesemita
Common name White sea cucumber

REFERENCES

Lambert, P. 1997. Sea Cucumbers of British Columbia, Southeast Alaska and Puget Sound. UBC Press, British Columbia Canada. 166 pages

Morris, R., P. Abbott, and E. Haderlie.1980. Intertidal Invertebrates of California. Standford University Press, Stanford, California. 690 pages.

Kozloff, E. 1996 . Seashore Life of the Northern Pacific Coast. Fourth Edition. University Of Washington Press. Seattle and London. 370 pages.

 

Other Members of the Phylum Echinodermata at Race Rocks 
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

 Patricia  (PC year28)

Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis: Green sea urchin –The Race Rocks taxonomy

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See this green urchin in the video and compare it with the purple and red urchins

 

Green Sea Urchin: average size is 50-60 mm, but may reach a maximum size of about 85 mm.

Distribution: The green sea urchin is one of the most widely distributed of all Echinoderms. It has a circumpolar distribution, which extends into the Arctic regions of both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It commonly inhabits the rocky subtidal zone from the low-tide mark down to a depth of 1200 m, but also occurs intertidally in tide pools.

 

 

Diet: The green sea urchin primarily grazes on seaweeds (kelp being its preferred food source), but will also consume a wide variety of organisms including mussels, sand dollars, barnacles, whelks, periwinkles, sponges, bryozoans, dead fish, and – when hungry enough – other sea urchins.

This shows the grazing action of sea urchin teeth, arranged in a complex assemblage of small bones, the five teeth gouged out this star pattern in the stipe of a Pterygophora.

 

The skeleton of the sea urchin is called a “.test”. The radial symmetry is reflected in the placement of all the tube feet holes. Here you can see the size of a green urchin compared to a red urchin

 

 

 

Reproduction: Green sea urchins release their gametes into the water column where the eggs are fertilized by the sperm. The sexes are separate. The resulting larva (termed an “echinopluteus”) undergoes development planktonically for a period of one to several months before settling on the sea floor and metamorphosing into the adult form. Reproduction occurs on an annual cycle with spawning occurring in the spring, generally between February and May, but sometimes as late as June.  See the Lab on Sea urchin Embryology.

This video from underwater Safari shows a wolf eel crunching a sea urchin…

Behavior: Where urchins occur at high density, destructive grazing can produce habitats devoid of seaweeds. These areas may be termed “sea urchin barren grounds”.. When sea urchins are removed from these sites, either manually or by disease, the reduction in grazing pressure often results in the development of highly productive kelp forests. These kelp beds provide shelter for a wide variety of marine organisms (e.g. fish, lobsters, crabs, sea stars, bivalves, gastropods, bryozoans) and the habitat is typically much more diverse than barren grounds. Hence, sea urchins are one of the principal factors controlling habitat diversity in the rocky subtidal environment.

Other Members of the Phylum Echinodermata at Race Rocks 
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

Aldo Caixeta (PC yr 28)/strong>

Cucumaria miniata: Orange sea cucumber–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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The orange Cucumaria miniata sea cucumber is a common resident just off the docks at Race Rocks in 5 to 10 meters of water. In this video they occur in a high concentration relative to other areas. Each orange tuft is the tentacle mass. If disturbed, it quickly withdraws into the sea cucumber body which is always buried under loose rocks.

Note the name Cucumaria miniata should be on the following video instead of C. curata

General Description:The Orange sea cucumber received its Latin name, Cucumaria because it resembles a cucumber. The orange pigment that separates it from other sea cucumbers comes from a chemical called cinnabar or vermilion. Although it seems to be completely soft and fragile, it actually has bone-like plates in the body wall called ossicles. To stay attached to the holes between the rocks, the cucumber uses tube feet that you can see in the image above in 5 rows around the circumference of the body. If you ever want to keep one as a pet, don’t get too attached because they usually only live about 5 years, sometimes 10 if they’re lucky.

Habitat:

Sea cucumbers live in between boulders and sheltered rock formations. Because they are able to stay attached to surfaces, they prefer to live in areas with stronger currents, making it harder for predators to reach them.

Feeding:

The orange sea cucumber is a suspension feeder. This means that it catches food in its tentacles. After the food is caught, it removes the food with its eating arms and scrapes it into its mouth. Sea cucumbers eat plankton and detritus.

Reproduction:

Unfortunately, sea cucumbers aren’t very intimate creatures. In fact, their mating process can’t have any less contact. When the time comes to make a new cucumber and two cucumbers are physically (and emotionally) ready, one will release eggs into the water and the other will release sperm. From that, the two elements meet in suspension and that’s it.

Predators and Defenses:

The cucumbers main predators include fish, and even humans. That’s right kids, there are some people in the world that actually eat these things. To protect itself, the cucumber has many defenses. Their skin is some of the most amazing tissue found on an animal. The compound is made of a material called ‘catch collagen’ which can change from liquid to solid when neurologically triggered. It does this so can squeeze into small spaces and then harden again. Another defense is they “pee” out all the water in their system and shrink into a small, hard rock. The “peeing” usually occurs when the cucumber is removed from its habitat. If that’s not enough for you, they also can bust out a defense called evisceration. What happens here is if the cucumber is stressed and scared enough, it will spew its guts out. That means everything, intestines, gonads, respiratory organs, everything. Now after that, you would think that’s the end but if it can get itself to a safe habitat, it can actually regenerate its organs.

Biotic Associations

These guys are generally really passive, and they don’t really interact with any other organism or with between each other really.
References:http://oz.plymouth.edu/~lts/invertebrates/Primer/text/holothuroidea.html

http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/hodiak/photo/cuke03.html

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Echinodermata
Class Holothuroidea
Family Cucumariidae
Genus Cucumaria
Species miniata

Common Name: Orange Sea Cucumber

 

Other Members of the Phylum Arthropoda at Race Rocks 
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

 March OctoberFebruary , 2002, Andres Jennings (PC yr 28)

Psolus chitonoides: creeping pedal sea cucumber

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Predation of a Psolus chitinoides by a sea star is examined and discussed by Laura and Nadege. The stomach of the sea star surrounds the sea cucumber and the soft neck and mouth of Psolus is well inside the cavity of the sea

 

Sea cucumbers have inhabited the world’ s oceans for about 400 million years. Psolus chitonoides is an unusual species of these marine invertebrates. Its diverse characteristics have given it 4 common names: Armoured sea cucumber, Creeping armoured sea cucumber, Slipper sea cucumber and Creeping pedal sea cucumber.

Compare the tentaclesof Psolus with the end of the California Sea Cucumber to the left. Photo by Dr.A.Svoboda

Tentacles of P.chitinoides

A-Description

As all echinoderms, the creeping pedal cucumber has a spiny skin. Also, its appearance is closer to a chiton than to a sea cucumber (here is the origin of its name “chitonoides“).

1-External features:an oval body (7cm long to 5.8 cm wide) domed dorsally with stiff, shingle-like scales, flat, flexible sole ventrally. Its tentacles(8-10) are dendritic, equal in size, or 8 large and 2 small. Also observing the body, it could be compared to an elongate cylinder lying on its side with the mouth at one end and the anus at the other. The rows of tube feet run the length of the body

2-Internal features: the tentacle ampullae, the rete mirable and cuverian organs are absent . On the other hand, we can observe the presence of retractor muscles. Respiratory trees are “y shaped”. Note that its madreporic body is attached to a dorsal mesentery. Its internal calcareous skeleton is composed as following:calcareous ring with anterior processes only. Psolus chitonoides is characterized by typical skin ossicles, where one type of circular perforated plate (some with knobs coalesced into a raised network) occur only in the ventral sole.

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Echinodermata
Class Holothuroidea
SubclassAspidochirotacea
Order Dendrochirotida
Family Psolidae
Genus Psolus
Species chitonoides
Common Name: Creeping pedal sea cucumber
B-Physiology and Biology

1-Suspension feeder: tentacles trap larger particles (larger than 2mm) by bending inwards to form a cagelike enclosure. The mouth lips extend toward the particle as the nearest tentacle pushes it into the mouth .

2-Reproduction : the reproductive organs of a sea cucumber generally consist of 1 or 2 tufts of elongated tubules in the forepart of the body cavity.Spawning occurs annually, from mid March ot late May, commonly in the early morning. A spawning male will swab its genital papilla with its tentacles, then lift the tentacles to disperse the sperm . Females release long ropes of brick red eggs; fertilized eggs develop into pelagic lecithotrophic vitellaria larvae. Late larvae and early juveniles are negatively phototatic and settle gregariously.

3- Respiratory system: its water vascular system is a hydraulic system made up of tubes and valves that operate rows of extendible tube feet . As other sea cucumbers, Slipper sea cucumbers respire through their tube feet, body wall and respiratory trees.

4-Chemicals: there are toxic chemicals (saponins) on its tentacles, discouraging predators from nipping the tentacles. For example, even the Kelp Greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus), which feeds on sea cucumbers, avoids this species.

C-Predators, parasites and commensals

1-Sea stars and fish are the main predators of the Psolus chitonoides.

2-Parasitic forms of flatworms and snails can live inside the sea cucumber

3-Commensal organisms are mostly scales that mimic the colour of sea cucumbers, and crawl on their skin.

D-Habitat

From exposed coast to sheltered inlets; although it seems to prefer clean, vertical rock that is free of sediment. Its soft, flat sole enables it to attach firmly to rock.

E-Range

Aleutian Islands to Baja California ; intertidal to 247m ; common in shallow subtidal areas.

References:

Kozloff, E.N. Keys to the Marine Invertebrates of Puget Sound , the San Juan Archipelago, and Adjacent Regions.

Lambert, P. 1997. Sea cucumbers of British Columbia, Southeast Alaska, and Puget Sound. UBC Press,

Other Members of the Phylum Echinodermata at Race Rocks 
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

 March October 2003-  Rahilla (PC)

Pycnopodia helianthoides: Sunflower star–The Race Rocks taxonomy

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Pycnopodia tend to be found thriving in regions rich in seaweed, in low intertidal zones on rocky shores. They have an arm radius that ranges from forty to sixty-five centimeters. Small juveniles have five arms but develop twenty four by the time they are adults. Pycnopodia have an aboral surface and are usually pink, purple or brown in color. Occasionally they will be red or yellow in color. They also have the ability to regenerate lost arms. Pycnopodia are the largest, heaviest and most active of the Pacific coast sea stars. Pycnopodia feed on Stronglyocentrotus purpuratus (the purple sea urchin), bivalves, polychaetes, chitons, snails, hermit crabs, crabs, sea cucumber, and Leptasterias sea stars . The Pycnopodia utilize over fifteen thousand sucker feet when capturing prey. Their prey is swallowed whole and digested internally, and they have the ability to partially evert their stomach. Antagonistic, combative behavior has been observed when two Pycnopodia encounter one another. The key predator of the Pycnopodia is the King Crab. A fourfold increase in speed has been noted when the Pycnopodia is in contact with a predator. If the Pycnopodia does not escape, the predator will latch on to one of its many arms and begin to feed.

The sea star Pycnopodia helianthoides is one of the largest invertebrate predators at Race Rocks. In this close up view, on the dorsal side, the pinkish tufts contain the pedicellariae (small pincers) and the dermal branchiae (for gas exchange) On the ventral view, the central mouth is surrounded by many tube feet.

In October, 2001, federal Fisheries Minister Herb Dahliwal and the Provincial Environment Minister Joan Sawiki visited Race Rocks to officially proclaim the opening of the Race Rocks MPA. In this video, Ryan Murphy shows the ministers a Pycnopodia.

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Echinodermata
Class Asteroidea
Order Forcipulatida
Family Asteriidae
Genus Pycnopodia
Species helianthoides
common nameSunflower Star

References cited:

Marine Invertebrates of the Pacific Northwest, Eugene N Kozloff, 1996, University of Washington Press
Intertidal Invertebrates of California, Robert H Morris Donald P Abbot and Eugene C Haderlie, 1980, Stanford University Press
Pacific Seashores- A Guide to Intertidal Ecology, Thomas Carefoot, 1977, J.J. Douglas Ltd

 

Other Members of the Phylum Echinodermata at Race Rocks 
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

 December 2001-  Hannah McKinnnon (PC)

Male Elephant seal Vocalization

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Normally in past years, during the winter and summer, the 2 male elephant seals have stayed around the middle island. This year, this one large male hauled out onto the rocks to the south of the tower for a few days. In this video, note the clicking sound that he emits when his head is in the air. Thanks to Chris Blondeau and Jane Johnston for getting the footage for this unique piece of video late one evening in late December, when they were out relieving for Mike and Carol at the MPA.

Haliacetus leucocephalus: Bald Eagle–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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In November 2009, Ryan Murphy captured this set of images when a juvenile eagle was making his daily pass by to prey on a seabird. The juvenile california gull provides the meal for that day. Click the image to see a slide show video of this sequence..See the Eagle Set on Ryan’s Flickr site

Bald Eagles measure from 30″ to 43″ ( 76 to 109 cm) in length and from 70″ to 96″ ( 2 to 2.4 m) in wingspan. They have a high thin, chittering voice which contrasts with its magnificent appearance. Bald Eagle’s diet is primarily based on fish catching. It also eats carrion and crippled waterfowl. At Race Rocks, eagles frequently take adult Gulls and Pigeon Guillemots as can be seen in the accompanying images.

The adult Bald Eagle has a snow-white head and tail, the immature ones have brown head feathers which develop white underneath and gradually grow out over several years.
It was formerly found living all over North America. Hunting, poaching and the growth of civilization has had a negative impact in the Bald Eagle population whch has dimished considerably in the last decades. Nowadays it is found only in the Aleutians, Alaska, sections of Northern and Eastern Canada, British Columbia, Northern United States and Florida.

Its habitat is on or near seacoasts as well as close to large lakes and rivers, where the fish population is abundant. It nests in tall conifers, often old growth Douglas Fir or Cedar. Nests are common in the Southern part of Vancouver island. The closest to Race Rocks are on Bentinck Island and along Taylor Beach. The nests are renovated every year starting in January with new sticks, often ripped from tall dead fir trees. The eggs are white and come in groups of 1 to 3 each time.Its beachcombing , scavenging role, and the fact that it eats at the highest trophic level, can cause the Bald Eagle to accumulate pesticides in its body ( from contaminated fish and wildllife. ) The Bald Eagle population remains high in the rain forest coastal area of central and Northern British Columbia and Alaska.

This image comes from the slide show “Fresh Kill” It provides a closeup of an eagle whose head coloring is almost mature, but has not yet lost its dark speckling.
Reference: Miklos D. F. Uduvardy ,1977 The Audubon Society, Field Guide to North American Birds, Western region., Chanticler press, fifth edition: NY

 

The nictitation membrane is a transparent inner eyelid in birds, reptiles, and some mammals that closes to protect and moisten the eye. It is also called the third eyelid.
Pam captured these images of young eagles close to camera 5 in the spring of 2005 to help us demonstrate this adaptation.You can find further information about this feature at: http://ebiomedia.com/gall/eyes/protect.html

Bald Eagles in the Rain

 

 

 

 

Bad Hair Day for the Eagles

 

 

 

Other Members of the Class Aves at Race Rocks.

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. Carolina Munoz 1987

 

Orange hermit crab

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In this video, the orange hermit crab inhabits the shell of an Oregon triton


The Elassochirus gilli (Benedict 1892), commonly known as the Orange Hermit Crab, is commonly found in the waters around Race Rocks. Hermit crabs are abundant around the world. They have soft rear ends that need the protection of the hard snail shell for survival. Hermit crabs carry their shell homes on their backs and tuck themselves away inside for protection using their strong stomach muscles. Sometimes, hermit crabs experience housing problems. As the crab outgrows one shell, it must find another often running into serious competitions for available homes in the right size range. Once it has found a suitable home it will not look again for some time. In any case, hermit crabs will fight for exclusive rights to empty shells. However, they will never displace a live snail from its home.In the video above, the crab inhabits the shell ot the Oregon triton snail, Fusitriton oregonensis .They have two sets of legs that they extend outside their shell for walking and two pairs of legs tucked away inside that they use to move their body around inside their shell.
The right cheliped surface of the Elassochirus gilli is smooth (without small spines) with its shield equal in length and width. The eyestalk of the crab is stout and its cornea is not inflated. The left hand is oval with a wide fixed finger. However, its greatly expanded and flattened right claw is a distinguishing feature. The walking legs of the crab are compressed and yet another distinguishing feature of the species is its bright blue upper leg. The Elassochirus gilli is usually rather uniformly orange to red.

The size of the male crab, is on average, about 20.4m in length. In this secies, the males are without paired pleopods and the females are without paired gonoppores.

The Elassochirus gilli prefers bedrock in areas of fast moving current. As such, its primary habitat is in rocky areas.
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Arthropoda
Class Crustacea
Order Decapoda
Infraorder Anomura
Superfamily Paguroidea
Family Paguridea
Genus Elassochirus
Species gilli
COMMON NAME: Orange Hermit Crab

WEBSITES AND REFERENCES ON ELASSOCHIRUS GILLI

http://www.oceanlink.island.net/oinfo/biodiversity/hermitcrab.html

Kozloff, Eugene N. Seashore Life of the Northern Pacific Coast, University of Washington Press (1996), p.410

Hart, Josephine F. Crabs and their Relatives of British Columbia, British Columbia Provincial Museum, Victoria (1982), p.124

pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. Dec 2001- N’kiru Okagbue

 

Phoca vitulina: Harbour Seal –The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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The total harbour seal population in the eastern north Pacific is estimated to be  330,000, and in California the estimated population was 40,000 in 1997.  They usually are found in small groups, but sometimes occur in numbers of up to 500.
shoulder
RANGE/HABITAT:  Harbour seals are found across the Northern Hemisphere in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.  In the Northeast Pacific, they range from Alaska to Baja California, in Mexico. They favor near-shore coastal waters and frequent sandy beaches, mudflats, bays, and estuaries.

See the most recent posts on harbour seals by the Ecoguardians at Race Rocks 

sealman

Harbour seal photo by Ryan Murphy 2002

silverHarbour seals spend about half their time on land and half in water, and they sometimes sleep in water.  They can dive to 1,500 feet (457 m) for up to 40 minutes, although their average dive lasts 3 to 7 minutes.  They are opportunistic feeders and hunt for sole, flounder, sculpin, hake, cod, herring, octopus, and squid.They will also take fairly large salmon.

This image of a mother an baby harbour seal was taken by Ryan Murphy when he was the Ecoguardian at Race Rocks 2009-2011 See this and many more excellent shots  on his Flickr album of Race Rocks Seals here.rmharbsealandpup

” Ryan and I were doing a live webcast from West Race Rocks, when we came across this harbour seal. It kept returning for a view of our activities so we were able to take several video shots while it hovered nearby. We noticed how it seemed to like returning to this rock pinnacle which was covered with kelp and the plumose anemone. When the lights of the camera get in at close range on the stalks or stipes of the kelp, you can see the brightly colored brooding anemone.” Andras Rozmer, (PC year 26)

 

Birthing location. Mother and and baby harbour seal. A few scenes taken in June at the time of the harbour seals giving birth. Note membranes still attached to the mother in the swimming scenes near the end.

 

Harbour seals are year-round residents of Race Rocks. Their numbers increase to over 400 in June and July at the peak of the pupping season. This video shows a quiet scene with seals hauled out on the shore on the west side of Race Rocks.

 

Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Clade: Pinnipedia
Family: Phocidae
Genus : Phoca
Species : vitulina

Phoca vitulina (Linnaeus, 1758 )

COMMON NAME: Harbour Seal

sealbay

In the summer, the South East bay is often populated by harbour seals. In this view taken in July, 2005 from the tower, you can count at least 25 seals.

southrock

This shot is from the tower of the south bay by PB, Sept. 14 2007, the seals can be seen swimming underwater.

sleeprock

Harbour seals on the south intertidal island, Sept. 2007

sealislandlong

A panorama of the seals on South Islands in June.. photo: GF

sealeaten2

The cause of death of this seal is unknown.It could have been hit by a boat.

sealeaten

It had been providing food for an eagle several days before this picture was taken: see video:

rmsept2009decapsealAt Race Rocks,the Harbour seals are year round residents, although their numbers peak in mid summer to over 400. They have pups on the island from March to July. This file shows what happens if boat traffic is too fast in the ecological reserve or around any seal haulout area,

 

Damion Wilson PC Year 27.
Other Members of the Class Mammalia at Race Rocks.

See the most recent posts on harbour seals by the Ecoguardians at Race Rocks 

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

 

Haliotis kamtschatkana: Northern Abalone–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Cryptic Coloration of Abalone
Associated organisms with abalone.

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Mollusca
Class Gastropoda
Subclass Prosobranchia
Order Archaeogastropoda
Suborder Pleurotomariina
Family Haliotidae
Genus Haliotis
Species kamtschatkana
Common Name: Northern Abalone

Paulina and the PC Divers go in search of abalone for our population tagging program. The opportunity arises to demonstrate the escape response of the Northern Abalone, when it is presented with a Pycnopodia, the giant sunflower star.

Scott Wallace did research in 1997 and 1998 at Race Rocks with Pearson College divers. He studied the population dynamics of the Northern Abalone, Haliotis kamtchatkana. His research was done as part of a PhD thesis in Resource Management from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. In May of 2000, he returned to Race Rocks for a dive with Garry and Hana and an interview with Stephanie Paine and Director Julia Nunes for the Discovery Channel. In this video he demonstrates the measurement technique he used in his research

Link to Abstract of Scott’s Paper
Wallace, Scott, S. 1999, Evaluating the Effects of Three Forms of Marine Reserve on Northern Abalone Populations in British Columbia, Canada. Conservation Biology, Vol 13 No 4, August, 1999, pages 882-887.
An article by Scott Wallace:
Out of Sight, Out of Mind, and Almost out of Time out of sight out of mind–mpa

 

 

 

n 1998, we began a long term research program, initiated by Dr. Scott Wallace, on the population dynamics of the Northern Abalone
(Haliotis kamtschatkana).

For several years, the Pearson College divers monitored the population. In this video, Pearson College graduate Jim Palardy (PC yr.25) explains the process.

Carmen Braden and Garry find a Northern Abalone exposed at low tide in June in the intertidal zone of the east side of Race Rocks. They talk about its adaptations and the problem of overharvesting which has resulted in the endangered status.

This abalone was filmed by Felix Chow as it was rasping off diatoms from the glass wall of the aquarium. A small tongue or radula scrapes the algae from the walls.

General information:

Northern or Pinto abalones (Haliotis kamtschatkana) belong to the class of mollusks having a shell that consists of one piece. The genus they belong to is Haliotis, which means “sea ear” and refers to the flattened shape of the shell.

abaloneshellDescription:

Pintos are the smallest abalones and they are commonly about 4 inches long, however the biggest individuals can grow as big as 6 inches long (12 cm). The shell is oval or rounded with a large dome towards one end; it is also irregularly mottled and narrow. The colour of the shell exterior is mottled greenish brown with scattered white and blue. The shell has a row of respiratory pores through which the abalone takes in water and filters dissolved oxygen from the surrounding water with its gills. Water that passes through the body leaves through the respiratory holes carrying away waster from the digestive system. Pinto abalones have from 3 to 6 open holes in their shells. The shape of these respiratory holes is oval and they are raised. The colour of the pinto abalones’ epipodium is mottled greenish tan or brown. The tentacles are thin and the colour of them can vary from yellowish brown to green. Abalones’ muscular foot has a strong suction power that permits the abalone to clamp tightly to rocky surfaces.

Habitat:

Pinto abalones have definite preferences in locations and habits. Pinto abalones range from Sit ka, Alaska to Monterey, California. The only member of the genus is likely to be found in the Puget Sound region., on the open coast of Vancouver Island and Washington. Farther south pinto abalones become strictly sub tidal. Pinto abalones can be found clinging to rocks in kelp beds along open coastal environments that have a good water circulation. Their habitat is between the low inter tidal zone and sub tidally down to 70 feet (18 meters depth).

Life cycle:

The life cycle of an abalone begins from an egg. Abalone female releases millions of eggs, but only about 1% (or even less) of the offspring survive the many challenges they have to face before maturity. The eggs turn into a free living larva and then after drifting with the currents about a week the abalone larva settles to the bottom and begins to develop the adult shell form.

Predators:

Abalone have many predators. They get eaten by other animals (crabs, lobsters, octopuses, starfish, fish and snails) and crushed to the rocks by strong waves. The sea otter was traditionally one of the most significant predators of abalones, although they have not yet moved into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, from the re-introduction several years ago to northern Vancouver Island.

Nutrition:

Pinto abalones, as all abalones, are herbivores. They use their large, rough radulas (“tongues”) to scrape pieces of algae and other plant material from the rock surfaces. The adult abalone feeds on loose pieces of algae drifting in water. Abalones prefer large brown algae; mainly different kind of kelps and seaweed. The colour banding on many abalone shells is caused by the changes in the type of algae that the abalone has eaten.

Threats:

Pinto abalones used to be subject to sports and commercial fishery . They suffered from over harvesting and habitat loss and poaching. There is now a permanent closure on all abalone fishing on the B.C. Coast. For the Pacific North West Coast First Nations People, the beautiful shells of abalone were used for jewelry and abalone also were a seafood delicacy. They occur sub tidally and only in remote areas.

See the Abalone measurement and statistics exercise at RaceRocks:
http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/research/abalone/abalonemeas.htm

See our abalone exercise for middle school.

References Cited:

Kozloff, Eugene N., Marine Invertebrates of the Pacific Northwest, University of Washington Press, Seattle and London, 1996.

Kozloff, Eugene N., Seashore life of the Northern Pacific Coast, University of Washington Press, Seattle and London, 1996.

Meglitsch, Paul A., Invertebrate Zoology; second edition, Oxford University Press, 1972.

Snively, Gloria, Exploring the Seashore in British Columbia, Washington and Oregon, Gordon Soules Book Publishers Ltd., Vancouver/London, 1981.

http://www.pacificbio.org/ESIN/OtherInvertebrates/NorthernAbalone/NorthernAbalone_pg.html ( available at this URL in 20101)

http://www.sonic.net/~tomgray/describe.html

Other Members of the Phylum Mollusca at Race Rocks.

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and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. Salla Vornanen, PC yr 27