Anacortes 

Skagit Co., WA

Site Description:       

Anacortes is on the north side of Fidalgo Island, separated from the mainland by a narrow channel.  Anacortes has approximately 12 miles of marine shoreline along the northern perimeter of the island.  This population survey was taken from a rocky portion of beach with a rock reef which is only exposed at extreme low tide.  There are also a few small sand pockets along the beach.  The rocky area ranges from medium cobble to small boulders and sits atop soft bedrock.  Various varieties of seaweed, kelp and surfgrasses are present.
 


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Species List:

     Following is a list of mollusk species observed at this location by members and associates of the club.  This is by no means a complete list of the species which may occur at this site.  Revisions and additions to the data are made as we acquire new information.   When a site contains more than one very distinctive type of habitat or if multiple sites were included in a single location, then a species list for each is included.
    We indicate frequency of occurrence based on our observations.  This is an indicator of how likely it is that you may be able to find this species yourself and is not a formal population survey.  

     Frequency Code:  (Based on the assumption that you are looking in the appropriate location where the species
                                          likes to live - on rocks, in sand, etc.  
Some populations fluctuate seasonally.  Ours are based
                                          on the spring/summer seasons.
)
     [4] - Rare - very difficult to find, maybe only a couple found after repeated visits to the site
     [3] - Uncommon - difficult to find, may not see on every trip but dedicated searching may turn up a few
     [2] - Common - easy to find, should locate a number of them on any given day
     [1] - Abundant - very easy to find, large numbers should be seen on every trip

     Bivalves
Chlamys hastata  [4]  (juveniles)
Clinocardium nuttallii  [2]
Crassadoma gigantea  [3]
Crassostrea gigas  [4]
Entodesma navicula  [4]
Hiatella arctica  [4]
Leukoma staminea  [2]
Macoma inquinata  [3]
Modiolus modiolus  [4]
Pododesmus macrochisma  [3]
Saxidomus gigantea  [2]
Solen sicarius  [4]
Tellina modesta  [4]
Tresus capax  [3]
Tresus nuttallii  [4]
Zirfaea pilsbryi  [3] - siphons
  
     Gastropods
Acmaea mitra [4]
Alia carinata  [1]
Alvania compacta  [4]
Amphissa columbiana  [2]
Calliostoma ligatum  [3]
Calyptraea fastigiata  [4]
Ceratostoma foliatum  [4]
Cerithiopsis sp.  [4]
Crepidula nummaria  [3]
Crepipatella dorsata  [4]
Cryptobranchia concentrica  [4]
Diodora aspera  [3]
Fusitriton oregonensis  [4]  (observed subtidally)
Lacuna variegata  [2]
Lirularia lirulata  [4]
Littorina scutulata  [1]
Littorina sitkana  [1]
Lottia digitalis  [2]
Lottia cf paradigitalis  [2]
Lottia pelta  [1]
Lottia persona  [3]
Lottia rosacea  [4]
Lottia scutum  [2]
Margarites pupillus  [3]
Neptunea lyrata lyrata  [4] (not seen recently)
Nucella lamellosa  [2]
Nucella ostrina  [2]
Ocinebrina interfossa  [4]
Ocinebrina lurida  [4]
Odostomia cf columbiana  [4]
Stylidium eschrichtii  [4]
Turbonilla sp.  [4]  

     Chitons
Cryptochiton stelleri  [2]
Cyanoplax dentiens  [4]
Katharina tunicata  [4]
Lepidozona mertensii  [3]
Leptochiton cf. rugatus  [4]
Mopalia ferreirai  [4]
Mopalia hindsii  [4]
Mopalia lignosa  [4]
Mopalia muscosa  [3]
Mopalia swanii  [3]
Tonicella lineata  [2]

     Nudibranchs
Acanthodoris nanaimoensis  [4]  (observed subtidally)
Armina californica  [4]  (observed subtidally)
Cadlina luteomarginata  [4]  (observed subtidally)
Diaulula sandiegensis  [3]  (observed subtidally)
Dendronotus diversicolor  [4]  (observed subtidally)
Doris odhneri  [4]  (observed subtidally)
Hermissenda crassicornis  [4]  (observed subtidally)
Triopha catalinae  [4]  (observed subtidally)

     Cephalopods
Enteroctopus dofleini  [4]  (octopus in den has been observed intertidally at extreme low tides)
  
        

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This page last revised: 9-22-2011