San Juan Islands

San Juan County, WA

Site Description:       

This location covers all of the Islands including the subtidal.  Except for habitat differences, the species listed seem to exist throughout the island group.  The subtidal data ranges from 3 to 80 fathoms in depth.  It includes locational sampling taken in and around nearly all of the major islands and channels.  The Islands form the northeastern border of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the southern border of the Strait of Georgia.
 


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                                                       Aerial View
                 


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.)
     [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


Due to the nature of the data, this list will not be rated for frequency of occurrence at this time.  The intertidal list is very incomplete.

Subtidal                                             Intertidal

     Bivalves                                                                        Bivalves                                                                     
Acila castrensis                                                                Clinocardium nuttallii
Astarte elliptica                                                                Crassostrea gigas
Chlamys hastata
                                                              Hiatella arctica 
Chlamys rubida                                                                Leukoma staminea
Clinocardium blandum                                                      Macoma inquinata 
Clinocardium ciliatum                                                       
Macoma nasuta
Clinocardium nuttallii                                                        Macoma secta
Compsomyax subdiaphana                                               Mytilus californianus
Crassodoma gigantea                                                       Mytilus complex
Cyclocardia ventricosa                                                     Pododesmus macrochisma
Glycymeris septentrionalis                                                 Saxidomus gigantea 
Humilaria kennerleyi                                                        
Tellina modesta 
Kellia suborbicularis                                                         Tresus capax 
Macoma brota
Macoma carlottensis
Macoma elimata
Macoma golikovi
Macoma lipara
Megayoldia thraciaeformis
Modiolus modiolus
Musculus niger
Mytilimeria nuttallii
Nuculana hamata
Nuculana minuta
Nuculana penderi
Nutricola lordi
Pandora filosa
Pandora wardiana
Pododesmus macrochisma
Tellina carpenteri
Yoldia myalis
Yoldia seminuda
 
     Gastropods                                                                    Gastropods
Acmaea mitra                                                                  Acmaea mitra
Acteocina eximia                                                             Amphissa columbiana
Amphissa columbiana                                                      Calliostoma ligatum
Antiplanes cf thalea                                                          Diodora aspera
Astyris gausapata                                                             Haliotis kamschatkana   
Beringius eyerdami                                                           Lacuna variegata 
Boreotrophon orpheus                                                     Littorina scutulata
Boreotrophon stuarti                                                        Littorina sitkana
Buccinum plectrum                                                           Lottia digitalis
Calliostoma annulatum                                                      Lottia pelta
Calliostoma variegatum                                                     Lottia persona
Calyptraea fastigiata                                                          Lottia scutum
Ceratostoma foliatum                                                        Margarites pupillus
Cranopsis multistriata                                                        Nucella canaliculata
Crepidula perforans                                                          Nucella lamellosa
Crepipatella dorsata                                                          Nucella ostrina
Cryptobranchia concentrica
Cryptonatica aleutica
Epitonium indianorum
Exilioidea rectirostris
Fusitriton oregonensis
Granulina margaritula
Haliotis kamtschatkana
Homalopoma luridum
Lottia scutum
Margarites pupillus
Neoadmete modesta
Neptunea lyrata lyrata
Neptunea phoenicia
Nucella lamellosa
Ocinebrina sclera
Oenopota elegans
Oenopota excurvata
Oenopota fidicula
Oenopota levidensis
Oenopota pyramidalis
Oenopota tabulata
Oenopota turricula
Opalia borealis
Ophiodermella cancellata
Puncturella galeata
Rectiplanes sp.
Trichotropis cancellata
Turbonilla sp.
 
     Chitons                                                                               Chitons
Cyanoplax fernaldi                                                                Cryptochiton stelleri
Lepidozona interstincta                                                          Cyanoplax dentiens
Lepidozona retiporosa                                                           Tonicella lineata
Mopalia egretta
Mopalia muscosa
Mopalia swanii

     Scaphopods                                                                        Nudibranchs
Pulsellum salishorum                                                              Onchidella bilamellata
Rhadius rectius

    

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This page last revised: 6-29-2010