Category Archives: Species

Rostanga pulchra :The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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It is almost always found in association with the red encrusting sponge Ophlitaspongia

Physical Description:
The red sea slug is oval and commonly recognized by its bright color either red, orangish, or scarlet. But it is not uncommon to find some lighter colored species. It matches the texture and color of the sponge that it feeds on. Its body usually measures from 10 to 30 millimeters long. The back of some of the specimens can be covered with sprinkling black specks that stand out more in lighter colors. Their dorsum is covered with caryophilletic tubercules, which gives it a velvety texture. Their unique feature is their rhinophores (organs of the smell) that have vertical perfoliations.
Global Distribution: The red sea slug is dispersed all throughout the Pacific coast of North America from Alaska south to Argentina and Chile. Concentrated especially in Vancouver Island (British Columbia) and Puertecitos (Baja California)
Habitat: They are usually found on the colored red siliceous sponges they feed on, that are encrusted under rocky edges.

Feeding:
Rostanga pulchra feeds on red sponges. Ophlitaspongia pennata, Esperiopsis originalis, Plocamia karykina, and also on Acarnus erithacus and Isociona lithophoenix. It can locate the food from distance by scent. It first removes the top part of the sponge to leave a shallow groove.

Predators:
The predaceous cephalaspidean Navanax intermis can be reppelled by the Rostanga by non-acid secretions.

Reproduction:
The red sea slug is oviparous. The color of the eggs is similar to the color of the slug as well as the one of the sponge. It breads year round. The cylindrical eggs strands (2,000 to 13,000 egg capsules) are laid in a spiral pattern on the sponge they feed upon. The egg development is influenced by temperature: the warmer the shorter the development is. The eggs then develop into a larvae called veliger and drifts as plankton in the sea. The larvae will then settle and metamorphose in a suitable environment.
One interesting Fact: Like all nutribranchs, the Rostanga pulchra is hermaphrodite, which means that it has both female and male sex organs, thus their chances of meeting a potential mating partner increase. But self fertilization remains very rare.

References:
<oceanlink.island.net/oinfo/nudibranch/nudibranch.html>
<http://www.seaslugforum.net/display.cfm?id=9337>
<slugsite.us/bow/nudwk379.htm >
<www.calacademy.org/research/ izg/SFBay2K/Rostanga%20pulchra.htm>
<people.wwc.edu/…/Mollusca/GastropodaOpisthobranchia/Nudibranchia/Doridacea/Rostanga_pulchra.htm>
<www.racerocks.com/racerock/ eco/taxalab/2005/rostangap/rostangap.htm>
<www.metridium.com/monterey/nudibranchs/rostanga

<em><strong>Other<a href=”https://www.racerocks.ca/category/species/class-mollusca/”> Members of thePhylum Mollusca</a> at Race Rocks.</strong></em>

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<td><a href=”https://www.racerocks.ca/race-rocks-animals-plants/taxonomy-image-gallery/”><img class=” wp-image-17530 alignleft” src=”https://www.racerocks.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taxonomyicon-300×91.jpg” alt=”taxonomyicon” width=”201″ height=”68″></a><a href=”https://www.racerocks.ca/race-rocks-animals-plants/taxonomy-image-gallery/”><strong>Return to the Race Rocks Taxonomy

and Image File</strong></a></td>

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<td><a href=”http://pearsoncollege.ca/” target=”_blank”><img class=”alignleft wp-image-5251″ src=”https://www.racerocks.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pearsonlogo2_f2.jpg” alt=”pearsonlogo2_f2″ width=”121″ height=”73″></a><strong>The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of <a href=”http://pearsoncollege.ca/” target=”_blank”>Lester Pearson College UWC</a>. </strong><strong>It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and<a href=”https://www.racerocks.ca/category/ecoguardians-log/visitor-observations/”> Observers </a>on the<a href=”https://www.racerocks.ca/video-cameras/” target=”_blank”> remote control</a> <a href=”https://www.racerocks.ca/video-cameras/”>webcams. </a></strong>

<strong><a href=”https://www.racerocks.ca/video-cameras/”>This file was originally started by

Rachel de Silva PC yr32

, Dec. 2005.</a></strong></td>

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Mytilus trossulus: The bay mussel

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musselpool4

These Mytilus trossulus were present in Tidepool 4 at Race Rocks in May, 2004.

 

Physical Description: Mytilus trossulus has a shiny blue-black to black or brownish thin, long shell. Its exterior is smooth with fine lines. The interior of the shell is dull blue with a darker edge. They can be up to 6 to 10 cm long, and 3 to 5 cm high.
Geographical Range: Arctic to Alaska and south to Central California. (approximate)
Habitat: Mussels attach themselves to rocks pilings & other objects in the mid-intertidal zone of shorelines where water is relatively calm. The elevation at which they can be found is limited by the sea stars in the lower intertidal zone and the risk of desiccation in the upper intertidal zone.
Feeding: Mussels are filter-feeders. They filter many litres of water by moving a set of cilia (long hair-like filaments) over their gills to produce a current-like movement and another set of cilia move the trapped food particles (plankton) into food grooves.


Reproduction: Many intertidal organisms’ reproductive cycles are adapted to the tide cycles. For Mytilus trossulus, for example, the gonads mature during the spring tides and they spawn after neap tides. The normal cycle of an invertebrate intertidal organism follows the basic pattern of fertilization and larvae. Fertilization can occur within the adult or in the water itself. A larva then develops in the female parent or in the water and it usually doesn’t look very much like the mature adult. The larvae float in the water for a few minutes up to a few months, depending on the species and reproductive cycle. They feed and grow until the end of their planktonic life, when they settle.
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Mollusca
Class Bivalvia
Subclass Heterodonta
Order Mytiloida
Family Mytilidae
Genus Mytilus
Species trossulus
Common Name: Bay Mussel
Behaviours: Often found in large aggregations.
Adaptations to environment: To resist to mechanical stress from the wave movement, mussels have developed a strong but not permanent attachment to the rocky substrate: their byssal threads. They anchor the mussel to the rock, but can be broken and remade so it can have limited, slow movement. Mytilus trossulus also naturally has a high tolerance to waves. Most intertidal mollusks have hard shells with simple structures that aren’t likely to break under the pressure from the waves. Mussels such as Mytilus edulis, a closely related species close their valves tightly at low-tide to avoid water loss at low tide. Like all intertidal creatures, mussels must expose their fleshy parts to feed, which also exposes them to the threat of desiccation (drying out) and predators. Almost all diurnal rocky intertidal animals feed only when the tide is high and the water is covering them.

In the early 2000’s the Pearson College students in the Environmental System classes would do a lab on mussel mariculture

References: ( referenced 2005)
Shells and Shellfish of the Pacific Northwest, A Field Guide. Rick. M. Harbo, 1997

Biological Bulletin, Vol. 193, No. 2, Oct., 1997 http://www.jstor.org/stable/1542764
Balanced Environmental – Bay Mussel – Mytilus trossulus http://www.balanced.ca/hd/mussel.html

http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/biology/rosario/inverts/Mollusca/Bivalvia/Mytiloida/Mytilidae/Mytilus_trossulus.html

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.

Sara Correia, PC year 31

Amber O’Reilly, NWT PC 37

 


Sebastes maliger: Quillback rockfish–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Physical description: The Quillback rockfish is notable for being somewhat dumpier than normal rockfish (with a maximum recorded length of 60cm) with a large, spiny dorsal fin. Quillbacks are lighter coloured around the head and become darker progressing towards the tail. There are normally about two tan stripes running from the dorsal fin down to the belly, and orange spotting on the belly and head. Quillbacks can grow to up to 2 feet, but are not normally found larger than 20 inches.

Global distribution: Quillbacks can be found on the coast from the Gulf of Alaska all the way down to Southern California. However, their location normally ranges from the coast of South Eastern Alaska south to Northern California.

Habitat: These fish are known primarily as solitary, bottom dwellers, and inhabit rocky bottoms and reefs , never straying too far away from a possible hiding spot. Quillbacks can be found at depths between 40 and 250 feet. Generally, the larger the specimen, the deeper the depth that it is likely to be found at.

Feeding: As larvae, they feast mostly upon nauplii invertebrate eggs and copepods. As they grow up and become juveniles they eat mostly crustaceans. When they finally become adults, they become far less picky and feed on crustaceans, small fish (including other rockfish) bivalves and fish eggs.

Predators: As larvae, they are subject to the same predators as any other plankton. As juveniles, they are preyed upon by larger fish (such as rock fish and salmon) as well as marine birds. As adults, larger fish, such as sharks, feed on Quillback Rockfish, and possibly river otters. Rockfish are very popular for sport fishing and are kept alive for export to Asia.

Reproduction: Like all rockfish, Quillbacks are viviparous, and give birth to live offspring. Mating happens in late winter or early spring, and the females give birth between April and July. For the first two months of their lives, larvae are planktonic. Before settling close to shore.

Some Interesting Facts:
-The scientific name for the Quillback Rockfish stems from sabates and maliger, both greek, meaning magnificent and ‘I bear a mast’ respectively (the latter referring to the high dorsal fin notable in the Quillback species.)

-The oldest Quillback Rockfish was a Canadian, with an impressive lifespan of 76 years.

References
Nearshore Finfish Profiles http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/rockfish/quillback.html.2003.

Love, Milton. Probably More Than You Want To Know About The Fishes Of The Pacific Coast. Santa Barbara. Really Big Press.

Andy Lamb and Phil Edgell: “Coastal fishes of the Pacific Northwest”

J.L Hart: “Pacific fishes of Canada”

 

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 8 2005- Madeline (PC)

Bangia fuscopurpurea : Race Rocks Taxonomy

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combover3Description: This common red alga is especially noticeable on the surfaces of smooth boulders.  It grows as thin filaments of a rusty, purplish brown, or blackish colour.

As the tide ebbs, the filaments spread out over the rock in a way reminiscent of a few hairs artfully plastered down on a nearly bald head.
Habitat: On rocks in the upper and middle intertidal zones.
Pacific Coast Distribution:           Alaska to California.
…..Eugene Kozloff, 1996
Phylum: Rhodophyta
Class: Bangiophycidae
Order: Bangiales
Family: Bangiaceae
Bangia fuscopurpurea (Dillw.) Lyngbye

See other members of the Phylum Rhodophyta

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 2005

Semibalanus carriosus: Thatched barnacle–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Screen Shot 2015-01-08 at 6.51.40 PM

Student pointing to thatched barnacles . Note goose- neck barnacles on the rock above.

Student pointing to thatched barnacles . Note goose- neck barnacles on the rock above.

Thatched barnacles are at a relatively low level in the intertidal zone as can be sen in this photo of their habitat.

 

 

 

 

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family

Genus Semibalanus
Species carriosus
Common Name: Thatched barnacle

0407whiteblackbarnaclel copy
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.

 

Biddulphia sp. Diatom , TheRace Rocks taxonomy

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Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Chromista
Subkingdom Chromobiota
Infrakingdom Heterokonta
Phylum Bacillariophyta
Class Bacillariophyceae
Subclass Bacillariophycidae
Order Biddulphiales
Family Bidduulphiaceae
Genus Biddulphia
Species sp. ?
Common Name: Diatom

Other members of the Phylum Bacillariophyta

taxonomy iconReturn 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.

 name –year (PC)

Pleurosigma sp. Diatom –The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Photo from Wikipedia -Frank Fox
 

 

 

Organisms categorized within the genus Pleurosigma appear all over the world, regardless of location.  The genus is one of the larger groups of diatoms, containing hundred of different species and also making it very difficult to identify exact taxonomy of organisms.

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Chromista
Subkingdom Chromobiota
Infrakingdom Heterokonta
Phylum Bacillariophyta
Class Bacillariophyceae
Subclass Bacillariophycidae
Order Naviculales
Family Pleurosigmataceae
Genus Pleurosigma
Species sp.?  possibly P. angulatum
Common Name: Diatom

Other members of the Phylum Bacillariophyta

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.

Thalassiothrix sp.

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mixture of Thallasiothrix and several other diaton species from a plankton tow.

 

Thallasiothrix microscopic view

 

 

From Phyto’pedia Length (apical axis): 10 – 110 μm
Width (transapical axis): 2 – 4 μm
Height (pervalvar axis): 3 – 8 μm
Marginal areolae: 10 – 12 in 10 μm
(Cupp 1943, Kraberg et al. 2010)

Commonly found in nutrient-rich upwelling regions (Abrantes 1988, cited in Kobayashi and Takahashi 2002). Its presence indicates conditions of high productivity (Schrader and Sorknes 1990, cited in Kobayashi and Takahashi 2002). Optimal temperature ∼15 °C (Resende 2007). Salinity range from ∼12 – 33 (Demir 2007, Burns 1977).

 

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Chromista
Subkingdom Chromobiota
Infrakingdom Heterokonta
Phylum Bacillariophyta
Class Bacillariophyceae
Subclass Bacillariophycidae
Order Thalassionematales
Family Thalassionemataceae
Genus Thallasiothrix
Species sp.?  possibly T fraunfeldi var. nitzschioides
Common Name: Diatom

Other members of the Phylum Bacillariophyta

taxonomy iconReturn 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.

 name –year (PC)

Ceratostoma foliata: Leafy hornmouth–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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A leafy hornmouth exposed at low tide

We see these often in the summer in the lower intertidal zone. Their yellow egg cases also show up on the underside of rocks. They have a sharp penetrating tongue with which they can penetrate the shells of other molluscs

 

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Mollusca
Class Gastropoda
Subclass Prosobranchia
Order Neogastropoda
Suborder Rachiglossa
Family Muricidae
Genus Ceratostoma
Species foliata
Common Name: Leafy Hornmouth

Garry Fletcher

Mazzaella parksii: The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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mcornucopiae

Mazzaella parksii, photo by Ryan Murphy

Phylum: Rhodophyta
Class: Florideophyceae
Order: Gigatinales
Family: Gigartinaceae
Genus: Mazzaella
Species: parksii ( formerly M.cornucopiae)

Description: M. parksii is a clonal red alga that attaches to rock substrates in the intertidal zone. It ranges in colour from red to olive brown. Tufts of this plant reach 40 cm across, each lobe arising from the basal encrusting layer is up to 2 cm. in length
Habitat: On rocks in the middle and lower intertidal zones.
Pacific Coast Distribution: British Columbia to Mexico.

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File.

 

 

The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental pearsonlogo2_f2Systems 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, 2005