Category Archives: Species

Acanthodoris hudsoni: Hudson’s Dorid– The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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General Description:    Aconthodoris hudsoni is a typical representative of the Dorid Nudibranchs, which are also often referred to as sea slugs. Nudibranchs are sea snails that lack a shell and can vary greatly in coloration and form. That is why they are known as one of the most beautiful marine animals.    Acanthodoris hudsoni can be easily identified by its transparent whitish body and the yellow stripe running at the edge of its mantle. Its body is covered with conical pipalae, which are also tipped yellow. As most nudibranchs, Aconthodoris hudsoni has two long tentacles (called rhinophores) which are used as sensory organs for searching for food or a partner.
PHOTOS BY RYAN J MURPHY – ECOGUARDIAN 2010
  • Note Orange Cup Coral alos

Distribution:

    Sea slugs occupy the benthic zone. They usually live in the lower intertidal zone and could be found up to 700m in depth.   

    The dorid nudibranchs (over 3000 species) are widely spread throughout the world. Aconthodoris hudsoni, however, could be found only on the Pacific coast of North America.

Size: 1.5 to 2 cm

Feeding:

    Dorid nudibranchs feed on a wide variety of organisms: anemones, corals, hydroids, sponges, etc. However, they are highly specialized in their feeding habits. Some nudibranchs can eat only one specific genus or even species! Presently, it is not known what is the exact diet of Acanthodoris hudsoni, but biologists believe that it should be similar to the one of the other members of the genus Acanthodoris – bryozoans.

Reproduction:

     Sea slugs are hermaphrodites. Usually, they lay their eggs nearby a food source. The incubation period lasts for about 50 days, but can range in accordance to the abiotic factors in the environment. Nudibranchs go through a larval stage and when conditions are favourable, they metamorphose into young adults. This helps them distribute to larger areas.

Biotic Associations:

     Although the dorid nudibranchs would be usually found on top of rocks, sometimes they live on other organisms, such as corals, seaweeds, and sponges, and exhibit parasitic relationships.

Go to: Student Research: Shade Preference in Sub-tidal populations of Dorid Nudibranchs

References:

Behrens, David. Pacific Coast Nudibranchs. Sea Challengers: Monterrey, 1991. p48.

The Sea Slug Forum

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.

, Dec. 2010.- Ryan Murphy

Clavularia sp. : Pale Soft Coral– The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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rmapr10clav

A colony of Clavularia sp. by Ryan Murphy, April 2010. The individual polyps can be seen in unusual clarity.

See Ryan’s underwater set on Flickr with a range of invertebrates:

rmapr10clavclose

This is an enlarged close up of part of the image above.

 

This species is currently being identified. Each polyp is smaller than 1.2cm. Although it may appear at first as a hydroid, it is actually a soft coral, in known as an octocoral because of the eight tentacles. It is found in small patches a few cm. in diameter on the rocks right off the docks at Race Rocks in 10-12 metres of water.

 

Dr. Anita Brinckmann Voss identified this sample and indicated that it is related to Gersemia the soft pink coral. She has seen it in samples from Race Rocks before but not in such a large colony. She also indicated that a new species has been described from the North Pacific and she will try to get us a reference to it.

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Another photo by Ryan Murphy of a Clavaria colony. The colour difference here is unexplained so far.

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Cnidaria
Class Anthozoa
Subclass Octocorallia
Order Alcyonacea
Family Clavulariidae
Genus Clavularia
Species sp .
Common Name: Pale soft coral

Octocorals on Coral reefs make up a large portion of the species there. The potential medicinal uses of several species of clavularia have been published. The abstract of one such study on Clavularia viridis is shown below:
Lin YS, Khalil AT, Chiou SH, Kuo YC, Cheng YB, Liaw CC, Shen YC. of the Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Abstract
Chemical investigation of the nonpolar extract of soft coral Clavularia viridis resulted in isolation of five new prostanoids, designated as claviridic acids A-E (1-5, resp.), in addition to the known clavulones I-III. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic techniques, especially HR-ESI-MS, CD, and 2D-NMR experiments. The isolated marine prostanoids exhibited potent inhibitory effect on PHA-induced proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), as well as significant cytotoxic activity against human gastric cancer cells (AGS)

This file is provided as part of a collaborative effort by the students, faculty, staff and volunteers of
Lester B. Pearson College
April 2010
Garry Fletcher

Phoebastria immutabilis: Lasan albatross–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Pam Birley took this photo using the remote cam 5 on February 6, 2010. We have had difficulty identifying it but it looks quite like a Laysan Albatross. Below is a quote from Pam:

“Thought I would draw  your attention to this mystery bird, seen on Middle Rock on Saturday.  I was actually looking at the seals but this large bird caught my eye because it was so white.  I wish I had taken more pictures but only saved this one.  It was larger than the Cormorants (Beside it in the photograph) and had a big yellow/orange beak.  It was white except for the wing area which was black.  It was not a double-crested Cormorant.  The only thing I can come up with from Sibley and consulting the internet is a Laysan Albatross.  Apparently they only breed in the Hawaiian Islands area but do travel up to the Bering Sea, Alaska and the Pacific NW.” PAM BIRLEY, UK

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Procellariiformes
Family Diomedeidae
Genus Phoebastria
Species mutabilis
Common Name: Laysan Albatross
See this article in Bird Life International which details the ecological issues threatening this bird such as bycatch in the commercial high seas drift net fisheries.

See this article ” How we killed paradise with plastic: Grotesque consequences of our casual throwaway culture” The image from it shown here provides a stark reminder of the tragedy of plastic pollution in the ocean.

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. April 2010- Pam Birley

Pandalus stenolepsis: Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Ryan Murphy took these pictures in October 2011 and followed up in getting the identifications sorted out between this shrimp and Pandalus danae . See his pictures on Flickr: When Ryan took this image on the right, , he happened to get the small red tentacled a animals in the left of the picture. These are a new phylum for our records, rhe Phoronids.

DomainEukarya
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumArthropoda
ClassMalacostraca
OrderDecapoda
FamilyPandalidae
GenusPandalus
Speciesstenolepsis
Common Name:Shrimp

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 15 2010- Ryan Murphy

Myxicola infundibulum: Jelly tube worm–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Myxicola infundibulum , a slime tube worm is one of the Polychaetes in the Phylum Annelida. It is fairly common among the vast array of other invertebrates living subtidally at Race Rocks.

rmapr09myxicola

Ryan Murphy took this underwater picture in April of 2009 at Race Rocks. It captures the transparency well.

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Annelida
Class Polychaeta
Order sabellida
Family sabellide
Genus Myxicola
Species infundibulum
Common Name: jelly tube worm

rmapril132010

Slime worm by Ryan Murphy April 2010

This file is provided as part of a collaborative effort by the students, faculty, staff and volunteers of Lester B. Pearson College Dec. 2002  Ryan Murphy

Saxidomus giganticus: butter clam- The Race Rocks Taxonomy .

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Saxidomus gigantea by Ryan Murphy, April, 2010
This is a common intertidal clam, usually however not found in an ecosystem such as Race Rocks, but rather on sandy or mud beaches. Find the other invertebrates in the image also . Chitons, a top snail, and the tentacles of a sea cucumber.

 
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Mollusca
Class Bivalvia
Subclass Heterodonta
Order Veneroida
Family Veneridae
Genus Saxidomus
Species gigantea (Deshayes,1839)
Common Name: Buttter Clam
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 15 2010- Garry Fletcher

Rhamphocottus richardsonii: Grunt Sculpin–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Rhamphocottus richardsonii, the Grunt Sculpin– Image by Adam Harding

 

 

This small sculpin ( up to 9cm) is rarely seen or photographed at Race Rocks, but it is probably quite common. It walks on its pectoral fins.
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Sub-Phylum Vertebrata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Scorpaeniformes
Family Rhamphocottidae
Genus Rhamphocottus
Species richardsonii
Common Name: Grunt Sculpin
(Gunther 1874)

 

Other Members of the Class Actinopterygii (bony fish) 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.

2010 Adam Harding (PC)

Sebastes flavidus: Yellowtail Rockfish–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Adam took this photo of Erik swimming through a school of Sebastes flavidus, the yellowtail rockfish on July1, 2010. subtidal 10metres at Race Rocks.


Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Sub-Phylum Vertebrata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Scorpaeniformes
Family Scorpaenidae
Genus Sebastes
Species flavidus
Common Name: Yellowtail rockfish

 

MArch 2010

Other Members of the Phylum Chordata 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.

Adam Harding (PC).

Glebocarcinus oregonensis: Pygmy Rock Crab–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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rm281010crabl

Glebocarcinus  oregonensis Pygmy rock crab-photo by Ryan Murphy

 

Empty giant acorn shells are often the home for this small crab at Race Rocks. It was formerly called Cancer oregonensis

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Infraorder: Brachyura
Family: Cancridae
Genus: Glebocarcinus
Species: G. oregonensis
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.  G. Fletcher

 

Pagurus beringanus: Bering hermit crab–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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rm241010herml

Pagurus beringanus, The Bering hermit crab. photo by Ryan Murphy, 2010

This is a tentative identification of Pagurus Beringanus – the Bering Hermit Crab is an animal that is found from the Bering Sea to Monterrey, California. They are also found at Race Rocks. Commonly found at depths from intertidal to 365 meters.

This Pagurus is identifiable by their pale grey-blue shells (carapaces) mottled with grey, red and yellow spots. Legs are also pale blue with red bands at the joints. Claws are reddish and densely covered with spines. Bering Hermit Crabs all have characteristic green, irridescent eyes
Habitat – rocky, intertidal areas with cold water.
Behavior – Adults are inactive during the day. Starting late afternoon and carrying on through the night they become active and feed. This is because the retinal pigments in the eyes with position of the day and the night, only in response to the ambient light in the water.
Bering Hermit Crabs are scavengers, which makes the fact that they taste good puzzling. They eat dead plant materials and dead animal matter.
They themselves are prey to several types of fish, including pine perch, the California sheephead and the spotted kelpfish.
Females have been recorded with eggs mainly in April and May but some as early as February. During courtship, the male carries the female around for a day or more, knocking their shells together. The actual mating lasts less than a second, and both animals come almost completely out of their shells to perform the act.
References:
Intertidal Invertebrates of California. Morris, Abbot, Haderlie, 1980
Pacific Coast Crabs. Gregory C Jensen, 1995
Between Pacific Tides. Ricketts, Calvin, Hedgpeth, 1997

Classification:
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Crustacea
Order: Decapoda
Superfamily: Paguridea
Family: Paguridea
Genus: Pagurus
Species: beringanus
Common Name: Bering Hermit Crab

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.
Carmen Braden (PC yr 29) 2002