Kalaloch
     Bivalves
Macoma expansa
Mytilus californiensis

Petricola carditoides
Siliqua patula
Tresus allomyax
Tresus capax







     Gastropods
Nassarius fossatus
Nucella ostrina
Olivella biplicata












Ruby Beach to Kalaloch

Jefferson Co., WA

Site Description:       

This location is a ten mile section of beach midway along the west coast of the Olympic Peninsula facing the Pacific Ocean.  Ruby Beach is at the north end of this section.  This area is part of the Olympic National Park and also the Quillayute Needles National Wildlife Refuge.  The beaches along here are typical coastal beaches consisting mostly of gravel with sand exposed at low tide.  There are also large outcroppings of rock jutting into the water at intervals along the beach.  As with all ocean beaches, be aware of incoming tides which can trap you on the wrong side of these headlands.  Ruby Beach is sand, gravel and many large rock outcroppings.   Kalaloch is almost entirely sand with just a few sporadic boulders visible at low tide.

Google Map
 

Ruby Beach, with tide mostly in


Ruby Beach, at low tide


Kalaloch

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

Data is all intertidal unless noted.

This is only a sampling of data from Kalaloch and it will not be rated for frequency of occurrence.


  Ruby Beach
     Bivalves

Chlamys hastata  [4]
Clinocardium nuttallii [4]
Entodesma navicula  [4]
Leukoma staminea  [4]
Macoma inquinata  [4]
Mytilus californiensis  [2]  

Mytilus complex  [1]
Penitella penita  [4]
Petricola carditoides  [3]
Saxidomus gigantea  [4]
Siliqua patula  [3]

Tresus capax  [4]
 
     Gastropods
Acmaea mitra  [4]
Calyptraea fastigiata  [4]
Cryptonatica aleutica  [4]
Diodora aspera  [4]
Lacuna variegata  [4]
Lirabuccinum dirum  [4]
Littorina scutulata  [1]
Littorina sitkana  [3]
Lottia digitalis  [1]  
Lottia fenestrata  [2]  
Lottia pelta  [1]  
Lottia persona  [3]
Nucella canaliculata  [2]
Nucella lamellosa  [1]
Nucella ostrina  [1]
Olivella biplicata  [4]
Tegula funebralis  [4]

     Chitons
Katharina tunicata  [4]
Mopalia hindsii  [2]
Mopalia muscosa  [4]
 
    


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This page last revised: 8-12-2021