Category Archives: Species

Myxicola infundibulum: jelly tube worm– The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Ryan took this underater picture in April of 2009. It captures the transparency well.

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.

 

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

 

Other Members of the Phylum Annelida 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, 2002-  Ryan MurphyPC)

Balanus nubilus:Giant barnacle–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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The video  is of a juvenile barnacle feeding. It was taken by Sylvia Roach through a microscope camera in the marine lab at Pearson College. The size of the barnacle can be estimated by the small skeleton shrimp which is active in the background. That amphipod is less than 1 cm in length.
Research on the associations of hydroids that live on them has been done at Race Rocks by Dr. Anita Brinckmann-Voss. In her publication on the new species Rhysia fletcheri she has included a photograph of hydroids on the valves of this animal.

Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class:Crustacea
Subclass: Cirripedia
Order: Thoracica
Suborder: Balanomorpha
Superfamily: Balanoidea
Family: Balanidae
Genus: Balanus
Species nubilus

Common Name: Giant Barnacle

Giant barnacles are commonly found on rocks, pier pilings, and hard-shelled animals in low tidal zones to 90 meters depth.

They are up to 110 mm in diameter and are not easily confused with any other species. A feature unique to the giant barnacle is the lack of longitudinal striation on the scuta. They also contain the largest individual muscle fibres known to science.

 There has also been an extended essay done on this association by a student from the college. They are often encrusted with the holdfasts of kelp. Occasionally a storm tearing at the kelp will uproot a mass of barnacles and they may end up on a beach in the masses of tangled kelp. One of the reasons we have a ban on anchoring in the reserve is that these barnacles are easily broken away from their locations on rock outcrops by a dragging anchor.

Barnacles are not usually parasites, but the weight of this one could eventually impact negatively on the mussel.

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 October 2003- Aven Crawshay (PC)

Halosaccion glandiforme: Sea sac –The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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halosaculva

 

Distinguishing Characteristics :
Typical descriptions of Halosaccion glandiforme depict the plant as a thin-walled elongated sausage-shaped sac found in the mid-intertidal region of rock dominated shores. The plant is identifiable by its rounded head and short stipe anchored by a small circular holdfast. It ranges in colour from yellow/brown to red/purple. Also, because of the water it contains, applying pressure to the plant produces fine sprays of water emitted from the pores. In Common Seaweeds of the Pacific Coast (by J. Robert Waaland) it is stated that “Halosaccion glandiforme may reach lengths up to 25 cm and 3 to 4 cm in diameter; typical sizes are about 15 cm long by 2 to 3 cm in diameter.” 

The following pictures were taken by Ryan Murphy, 2005

Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Protoctista
Division: Rhodophyta
Class: Rhodophyceae
Subclass: Florideophycidae
Order: Palmriales
Family: Palmariaceae
Genus: Halosaccion
Species: glandiforme (Gmelin) Ruprecht 1851
Common Name: sea sac

Biotic Associations:

Being an intertidal species Halosaccion glandiforme shares its ecological niche with several other intertidal dwelling species. Acrochaetium vagum, a different red algae, is an epiphyte to Halosaccion. Also such species as mussels, barnacles, and species from other algal divisions including Poryphera lancelota, and Fucus gardneri grow in the same vacinity of the intertidal zone as Halosaccion. Predation on the Halosaccion is limited, the most common source of predation is from molluscan grazers like the sea snail Tegula funebralis.

In a study done on Halosaccion at Bamfield Marine Station in 1983, Garry Fletcher found an association of microscopic nematodes dwelling inside the sac of intact Halosaccion. Also noted were the special aggregation of cells that formed the “holes” on the walls of the algae.These are not random pin holes but very specialized regions of the matrix of the water reservoir wall.

References and Sources of More Information:

Fletcher, Alex, INTERTIDAL ZONATION OF HALOSACCION GLANDIFORME: A FOCUS ON HEIGHT AND SLOPE AS FACTORS OF ZONATION, extended essay in Biology, 2002

Johnson, L.E. 1992. Potential and peril of field experimentation: the use
of copper to manipulate molluscan herbivores. Journal of Experimental Marine
Biology & Ecology, v160 n2, pp251-262.

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 2001–Alex Fletcher  PC.

 

Arenaria melanocephala: Black Turnstone–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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black-turnstone

Ryan took this image in January 2009. At that time of year there were over a dozen turnstones foraging across the island.

 

The Black Turnstone breeds in Western and Southern Alaska on the coastal plain. It winters only on the Pacific coast, from southeast Alaska to central Mexico. It is the most abundant shorebird of rocky shorelines. Favourite habitats include reefs, rocky beaches, jetties, and gravel bars at the mouths of rivers or along lagoons. It may also forage on adjacent mudflats wet sandy beaches, floating kelp beds, and piles of washed-up seaweed. Black Turnstones have been recorded roosting on dry rocks, jetties, and floating log booms at which time they may gather into extremely dense flocks.
It is widely distributed along the inner and outer coast. Its distribution is largely restricted to rocky coastal shorelines, but it frequents many fiords and protected inlets. It is a vagrant in the interior. The Black Turnstone usually occurs in flocks of 10 to 30 birds at Race Rocks where it overwinters.


This slide show shows the Black Turnstone being part of the Food Web at Race Rocks providing  energy for the Peregrine falcon!

Reference used:http://rbcm1.rbcm.gov.bc.ca/nh_papers/gracebell/english/b_turnst.htm

Below are the records for population numbers of Black Turnstones observed in the Christmas Bird Counts.
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae
Genus Arenaria
Species melanocephala
Common Name: Black Turnstone

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.
Angela Chaisson, PC yr 28

 

Sea pen: Ptilosarcus gurneyi-The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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(Ed Note: The scientific name at the start of the video is not correct.) The sea pen, Ptilosarcus gurneyi, is a colonial cnidarian in the same class as the anemone, the anthozoa. One polyp has been modified to form the body,  while the fringes of the “feather” contain numerous small feeding polyps. Typically we find it living in a mud/sand substrate. It is rare around Race Rocks. The only population we have found is this one with a few individuals occurring at 15 metres on the North-West corner of Great Race Island. Note the small burrowing tubeworms in the mud around the organism. This specimen was videoed by Wynne Lawrence and Jean-Olivier Dalphond, both students at the Lester B. Pearson College.

General Description:

The sea pen, Ptilosarcus gurneyi, is a colonial cnidaria in the same class as the anemone, the anthozoa. One polyp has been modified to form the body while the fringes of the “feather” contain numerous small feeding polyps.

Habital:

Sea pens are marine organisms: typically they are found living in a mud/sand substrate at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) deep. It is rare around Race Rocks, with a few individuals occuring on the North-West corner of Great Race Island. Note the small burrowing tubeworms in the mud around the organism.

Feeding:

The polyps feed on detritus, zooplankton (baby artemia), and possibly (according to The Reef Aquarium Vol. Two) phytoplankton.You should offer your Sea Pen Artemia nauplii, Daphnia, pulverized flake food, and detritus stirred up from the bottom of the tank.

Predator:

Predators of the sea pen are two nudibranchs, one the very large 3 inches(7cm) nudibranch, Armina californica and the other Mediaster aequalis, Rose Star Crossaster papposus and the Leather Star Dermasterras imbriacata.

Reproduction:

We don’t know the reproduction of sea pens whether by sexual or asexual means.

References:
http://www.fishroom.com/library/seapen.html
http://www.lanecc.edu/science/zonation/seapen.htm

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa
Subclass: Octocorallia
Order: Pennatulacea Verrill, 1865
Suborder :Subsessiliflorae
Family :Pennatulidae Ehrenberg, 1834
Genus:Ptilosarcus
species:gurneyi
(Ptilosarcus gurneyi)
Common name: orange sea pen

Return to the Race Rocks Taxonomy and Image Gallery

Other Members of the Class Anthozoa 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. 

Original: Dec 2002, Joshua Columbus ( Burma) year PC yr 29).  

additions by G.Fletcher 2018

 

Lathyrus japonicus: Beach Pea–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Description:

The beach pea Lathyrus japonicus or wild pea is found along in several locations at Race Rocks.In the west bay near the docks, and in the southeast beach area. It also has a conspicuous location on the center path where it grows out of an old log planted on end. We have also spread some seeds down the sidewalk wall toward the desalinator building. The flowering size is 3/4 inch wide, The flowering color is pink to purple,The flowering time is June to August. Height is 1-2 feet.

The beach pea has tough roots, is useful a sand binder and it adds nitrogen to the soil.

A major characteristic of the beach pea that makes it an ideal palnt for coastal areas is that it can live in soils which are Nitrogen deficient. It does this as do most of the legumes by converts atmospheric nitrogen to nitrates, a process known as “Nitrogen Fixation” .It has nodules on its roots which house Rhizobium bacteria. (Link to the exercise on Nitrogen Cycle)

Tne beach pea can cause a very serious disease of the nervous system, (brain and spine). Also the beach pea can be toxic to animals. It was however used as a laxative among the Coastal First Nations people.

Range: Coastal Labrador New England, south to North Jersey,along the Great Lakes, Pacific Coast from Alaska to California.The beach pea cannot grow in the shade and requires moist soil.
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Plantae
Division Anthophyta
Class Dicotyledonaceae
Family Fabaceae
Genus Lathyrus
Species japonicus
Common Name: Beach pea

Other Members of the Angiosperm 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. Mersiha Niksic (PC)

 

Pollicipes polymerus: Goose-neck Barnacle- The Race Rocks taxonomy

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This low tide view on the south- west corner of Great Race shows the close competition between the California mussels and the goosenecks.
LOCATION:
The gooseneck barnacle, is found in abundance in the intertidal at Race Rocks. Globally. it is found from the southern region of Alaska to Baja, California. It is attached to rocks at the high intertidal zone and all organisms in a particular area will be oriented towards the same direction. It normally occurs on wave-beaten rocks. These barnacles have undergone extensive harvesting on the shorelines of the North Pacific, in particular around urban areas. Typically our record of conservation has been poor and continued harvesting results in very little stock recruitment and consequently a diminishing stock of this species. People of Western European origin frequently have a desire to eat this species, as it tastes very much like crab.

These clumps of gooseneck barnacles line the surge channel, if you see the video on the surge channel page , you can understand how they are exposed to a food source of plankton by the surge action even when they are above the tidal level. 

 

DESCRIPTION:

It has a fleshy stalk which attaches it to rocks or floating objects. The long neck is about up to 10cm. compared to the shell which is 5 cm. long. It has a leathery appearance with small bumps. The body consists of the peduncle and capitulum. The peduncle is the attachment organ but also contains ovaries and some muscles. It is covered with tiny ossicles on short fleshy stalk. the capitulum consists of most of the animal, including all appendages except the first antennae, The capitulum is ventral.

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Arthropoda
Class Cirripedia
Order Thoracica
Family Scalpellidae
Genus Pollicipes
Species polymerus
Common Name:Gooseneck Barnacle
–
REPRODUCTION AND FEEDING:

The organism is a hermaphrodite but they rarely undergo self fertilizaton. Cross fertilization is more common. Fertiliztion is external and it occurs in the mantle cavity. Gooseneck barnacles are filter feeders. They feed on smaller crustaceans and plankton. They do this by projecting their feathery feet called cirri to trap organisms. The cirri also act as lungs for gaseous exchange. Their main predators are the glaucous winged gull and the sea stars.

HISTORY:

Their name, gooseneck barnacle arose from the middle ages where they were thought to be developing geese which dropped off to become adult geese. As such geese were considered as fish and could be eaten on days meat was considered a taboo. Check out the patterns on the neck of the Brant Goose.

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.     October 2002- Garry Fletcher

Analipus japonicus: The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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analipus japonicus

Ryan Murphy took these pictures of Analipus japonicus in June of 2002 at Race Rocks.

ajapon1

Analipus japonicus in hand with Fucus sp. above left

General Characteristics
Analipus japonicus is found in the upper intertidal area frequently on rocks exposed to moderately heavy surf. This brown alga possesses a thallus of light brown color that supports branches up to 35 cm tall. Until recently, the species has been considered to be rare as it was represented by only two or three patches at Race Rocks. It is now becoming more abundant, on both the western shelf near peg 6 and the north-eastern corner near peg 15.

Reproduction Patterns
Development of the brown alga Analipus japonicus exhibits a pronounced seasonal pattern in many regions of the world. In winter and spring, this alga is found only as prostrate crusts; erect axes develop during the summer and fall. Reproduction is chiefly asexual and takes place from July to November. Unilocular sporangiate plants occur very rarely only in June and July. Plants bearing plurilocular sporangia are abundant from July to November.

Pharmaceutical Uses
In a study by various professors at the Sung Kyun Kwan University, there is a report of the results of a screening of 89 seaweeds collected from British Columbia, Canada, and Korea for antiviral activity. Various concentrations of methanol extracts of dried algae were tested against 100 plaque-forming units of herpes simplex virus type 1 and Sindbis virus in Vero cell monolayers. With reference to Analipus japonicus, it was the most potent anti-herpes species, according to the experimental results.

References:
http://www.usfca.edu/fac-staff/chienp/division%20phaeophyta.html

Biologiya Morya, Vladivostok, 2000, vol. 26, no. 6, pp. 426-429

http://www.skku.ac.kr/~ecology/professor/abstract/biological.html accessed 2002.
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Protoctista
Division: Phaeophyta (Brown algae)
Class: Phaeophyceae
Order: Chordariales
Family: Chordariaceae
Genus: Analipus
Species: japonicus
Common Name: thickly leaved rockweed
Other Phaeophytes or Brown Algae 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. Paolo Danese 2002 (PC yr 28) 12/9/2002

 

Abietinaria amphora: Photomicrography of Dr. Anita Brinckmann-Voss

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The branching colony measures 1.0-1.5 cm in height, so microscopic pictures are necessary to show the details

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Cnidaria
Class Hydrozoa
Order Leptothecata (=Leptomedusae)
Family Sertulariidae
Genus Abietinaria
Species amphora, Nutting 1904
Common Name:  ———–

This file is provided as part of a collaborative effort by Lester B. Pearson College and local scientists. Copyrighted 1999-All Images on this page are the property of: Dr. Anita Brinckmann-Voss. They can not be used or modified without her written permission. April 2002

see this link for other hydroids:  https://www.racerocks.ca/tag/hydroid/

Stylaster parageus columbiensis: (Hydrocoral) –The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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pinkquadac

A bed of Stylaster parageus columbiensis. in front of the docks at Race Rocks off peg #2 at 10 meters. Note the basket star, clumps of whelks and patches of red encrusting sponge.picture width : 80cm.

This colonial hydroid grows from the 0.2 tidal level to over 20 meters in depth in various places throughout the Race Rocks Ecological Reservee. At low tide, it is visible in several protected crevices and in Anita’s tidepool ( #6 on the West shore) Subtidally it is common in both purple and pink colonies . East of the Middle Islands, it has been observed by divers at 20 meters, growing in erect branching form of considerable profile ( to 20 centimeters.)

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Cnidaria
Class Hydrozoa
Order Anthoathecata)
Family Stylasteriidae
Genus Stylaster
Species parageus columbiensis (Lindner & Cairns)
Common Name: Hydrocoral

In July of 2002, Dr. Anita Brinckmann-Voss of Sooke had Alberto Lindner, a PhD student from Duke University visiting to exchange scientific information and to get help with identification of hydroids from collections in Alaska and the Olympic Penninsula. Alberto is studying the systematics and evolution of hydrocorals using morphological and molecular biology methods for his Ph.D. thesis. His supervisor and advisors are Dr. Stephen Cairns (Smithsonian) , Dr.Chris Cunningham (Duke University) and Dr. Dale Calder (Royal Ontario Museum) This is part of a program of training young zoologists in established and new methods of sytematics. Alberto comes from Brazil, having completed a Master’s degree in the University of Sao Paolo.

 

hydrocoralAnita made arrangements with us to get Alberto to the islands so that he could see Allopora growing in its natural habitat. Although it was not a zero tide level, we were still able to collect several small samples for him to do DNA analysis. He hoped to be able to sort out whether or not there is a distinct species difference in the color varieties we find at Race Rocks. 

rm2010hydrocoral2

The two color morphs of Stylasterias parageus columbiensis at Race Rocks . photo by Ryan Murphy

After returning to his lab and doing further analysis, Alberto reported that “It is pretty safe to say that the purple and pink color morphs of Stylaster corals (Allopora) from Race Rocks are the same species”. He has also noted the same result with deep-sea species from the Aleutians, as the orange and pink forms there do not separate the species.

See the record of his research on species identification here: Stylaster parageus columbiensis Lindner & Cairns in Cairns & Lindner, 2011

The following images were taken by the Ecoguardian Ryan Murphy in 2010. many different species including basket star in the image above have adapted to use the hydrocoral as a habitat because of it’s protective crevasses.

see this link for other hydroids:  https://www.racerocks.ca/tag/hydroid/

This file is provided as part of a collaborative effort by Lester B. Pearson College students, staff, volunteers and local scientists.