Category Archives: Species

Diaulula odonoghuei: THE RACE ROCKS TAXONOMY

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We had previously called this species D. sandiegensis, but we changed it because of this entry in Wikipedia Describing D.sandiegensis;”This nudibranch grows to about 100 mm (4″) in length. The background color can be white or any shade of yellow to a yellowish brown, and it has characteristic markings consisting of a few brown rings or irregular spots. Specimens with more numerous spots are Diaulula odonoghuei.” Wikipedia

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Mollusca
Class Gastropoda
Superfamily Doridoidea
Family Discodorididae
Genus Diaulula
Species D.odonoghuei
Common Name: The spotted leopard dorid

Other molluscs 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.

Garry Fletcher

Strix varia: Barred owl–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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raisanov210owl1

Barred Owl at Race Rocks , November 2010. Images by Raisa Mirza

Raisa Mirza (Ecoguardian) took these photos of the first Barred Owl to be photographed at Race Rocks on November 2, 2010. Raisa notes: ” When I woke up this morning, Virginie said that she had seen an owl and taken a picture which was pretty awesome. Lo and behold when I went outside half an hour later, I spotted this Barred Owl behind the boat house. He was covered in mist. This picture was taken later in the day when the sun had come out. My first owl sighting in the wild ever! I’m pretty excited to share the other shots of him. Couldn’t wait to put this one up. Another first sighting at Race Rocks! Its pretty awesome to know that my photography is contributing to building a cool record.”

The barred owl is a permanent resident of nearby Southern Vancouver Island, It is frequently heard at night in the farms and wooded areas of Metchosin.

raisanov210owl2

In this photo by Raisa, the barred owl has its head turned 180 degrees and it is looking to the left on this photo.  The wind pushes up the feathers on the back of the head giving it a very weird appearance!

 

 

 

Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Sub-Phylum: Vertebrata
Class: Aves
Order: Strigiformes
Family: Strigidae
Genus: Strix
Species: varia
Common Name: Barred Owl, (Barton,1799)
Other owls photographed at Race Rock

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.

Raisa Mirza, Nov. 2 2010.

 

Synthliboramphus antiquus: ancient murrelet–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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RM_ancient_murrelet2

Ancient Murrelet  Synthliboramphus antiquus photo by Ryan Murphy

Raisa_ancientmurreletnov182010

Ancient murrelets with a loon in the background: Photo by Raisa Mirza, November 2010

RM_ancient_murreletScientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Alcidae
Genus: Synthliboramphus
Species: S. antiquus

Synthliboramphus antiquus  (Gmelin, 1789)

These murrelets are seen only occasionally in the waters off Race Rocks. They are easy to confuse with the rarer Marbled Murrelet which also shows up in the fall.

Other entries on Murrelets 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.Raisa Mirza PC .

 

Gavia pacifica: Pacific Loon– The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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pacloonraisanov182010

Pacific Loon , Gavia pacifica photo by Raisa Mirza-Nov. 18 2010

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Pacific loon following a Common murre–Photo by Raisa Mirza

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Pacific Loon photo by Raisa Mirza, Nov 2010

RM_loonScientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Gaviiformes
Family: Gaviidae
Genus: Gavia
Species: G. pacifica

Gavia pacifica (Lawrence, 1858)

Other Loons ( members of the order Gaviformes)  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. —–——- PC yr 31

 

Zonotricha atricapilla: Golden-crowned sparrow–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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This is the first winter plumage of a young Golden -crowned sparrow.

These sparrows are common fall transients throughout southern Vancouver Island although this is the first one photographed at Race Rocks in November 2010. Images by Raisa Mirza

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Sub-Phylum: Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Passeriformes
Family Emberizidae
Genus Zonotricha
Species atricapilla (Gmelin 1789)
Common Name: Golden-crowned sparrow

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.

 March October 2003-  Rahilla (PC)

Pugettia gracilis: Graceful kelp crab–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Pugettia gracilis, Graceful kelp crab– Photo by Ryan Murphy

We see this small crab occasionally at Race Rocks.  Ryan caught this one as it nestled in between white anemone.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Infraorder: Brachyura
Family: Epialtidae
Genus: Pugettia
Species: P. gracilis
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.

 

Cackling Goose, Branta hutchinsii—Race Rocks Taxonomy

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raisaoct22201cackling

Branta hutchinsii, Cackling goose

Domain
Eukarya
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Subphylum
Vertebrata
Class
Aves
Order
Anseriformes
Family
Anatidae
Subfamily
 Anserinae
Genus
Branta
Species
hutchinsii
Common Name:
Cackling Goose

This is the first observation and photos we have of cackling geese at  Race Rocks. Ecoguardian Raisa Mirza  took this photo on October 22, 2010. These geese migrate south through the area at this time of year. This is a newly recognized and smaller species of the Canada Goose. Recent work on mitochondrial DNA genetic differences found the four smallest forms to be very different. These four races are now recognized as a full species: the Cackling Goose. It breeds farther northward and westward than does the Canada Goose..Fall migration includes staging on the upper Alaska Peninsula for several weeks, then a trans-oceanic flight to Oregon and California.

This tag will bring up other examples of observations of this species at Race Rocks.

Troglodytes pacificus: Pacific wren-The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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troglodytesh

Pacific wren Oct 21, 2010

Our first sighting of Troglodytes pacificus-( Pacific wren) was made today. This very small bird is making use of the old rock walls leading up to the foundation for the original lightkeeper’s house at the base of the tower.

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Sub-Phylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Troglodytidae
Genus Troglodytes
Species pacificus
Common Name: Pacific wren

More observations of the Pacific wren on racerocks.com

Pacific Wren Troglodytes pacificus

The wren was also observed in the tower in October 2019

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

Geitidoris heathi : (Heath’s dorid)– The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Geitidoris heathi (Heath’s dorid) photo by Rayn Murphy

Geitidoris heathi (Heath’s dorid) Photo by Ryan Murphy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Opisthobranchia
Suborder: Nudibranchia
Superfamily: Doridoidea
Family: Discodorididae
Genus: Geitodoris
Species: G. heathi
Geitodoris heathi (MacFarland, 1905)
Synonyms Discodoris heathi

Other Members of the Phylum Mollusca 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.  Oct 2010 , by Ryan Murphy

 

Aldisa tara : The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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rmaldisatara

Aldisa tara photo by Ryan Murphy

 

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Doridina
Superfamily: Doridoidea
Family: Cadlinidae
Genus: Aldisa
Species:
A. tara
Binomial name
Aldisa tara

Millen, 1984

Tentative identification only.. This is a fairly rare nudibranch, only named recently.

Other molluscs 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.

Ryan Murphy, 2010