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COMMON INTERTIDAL& SHALLOW SUBTIDAL SPECIES IN  BRITISH COLUMBIA

W. C. Austin  Khoyatan Marine Laboratory.  2000        Approx 650 species]

The approximate number  of known species in BC for each major group is shown in [  ]

*The descriptors are not necessarily accepted common names

*Letters in { }: S=Supratidal; H=High-; M=Mid-; and L=Low intertidal  U=underwater,subtidal

Scientific Name

Common Name and relative tidal elevation in { }

CYANOBACTERIA  25+?

BLUE GREEN ALGAE

Various spp.

{S,H}

"Rivularia"

Dark Green Slippery Surface{H}

Black turf

{M}

   

XANTHOPHYTA  [4]

YELLOW-GREEN ALGAE: ON MUD

Vaucheria sp.

Dark Green Felt Mat

   

BACILLARIOPHYTA  [300] 

DIATOMS

Loose skeins on mud {M}

 

On rocks, on seaweeds {M}

 

On mud surface {M}

 

 

 

CHLOROPHYTA  [113]]

GREEN ALGAE

Various planktonic, pools

{H}

Various thin cast on rocks

{H,M}

Unbranched filaments

Green Sea Hair {H,M}

Acrosiphonia spp.

Green Rope Weed {M}

Blidingia spp.

Green Sea Hair{S,H}

Cladophora spp.

Branching Green Filament Seaweed {H,M}

Codium fragile

Dark Green Finger Seaweed {M}

Codium setchellii

Dark Green Spongy Seaweed {L}

Enteromorpha spp.

Wrinkled Green Tube Seaweed {S,H,M}

Monostroma spp.

Mono-layer Sea Lettuce {M,L}

Prasiola meridionalis

Green Guano Seaweed {S}

Rhizoclonum sp.

green mat {H}}

Ulvaria obscura

Olive Sheltered Sea Lettuce {M}

Ulva fenestrata

Perforated Sea Lettuce {L}

Ulva spp.

Sea Lettuce {H,M,L}

   

PHAEOPHYTA  [117]

BROWN ALGAE

Var. encrusting

 

Agarum fimbriatum

Solid Broad Kelp {L}

Agarum cribrosum

Perforated Broad Kelp {L}

Alaria marginata

Short Stipe Alaria {M}

Alaria nana

Small Alaria {M}

Alaria tenuifolia/praelonga

Long Stipe Alarias {M}

Analipus abietina ( ex. Heterocordaria)

Yellow Bottle Brush {M}

Coilodesme bulligera

Flat Sac {L}

Colpomenia spp.

Globose Sac {M}

Costaria costata

Multi-ribbed Searsucker {L}

Cymothere triplicata

Multi-ribbed Smooth Blade {L}

Desmarestia aculeata

Fine Branched Brown {L}

Desmarestia ligulata

Broad Branched Brown {L}

Egregia menziesii

Feather Boa {L}

Eisenia arboria

Bifurcate straplike stipe {L}

Fucus gardneri

Common Brown Rock Weed {H,M}

Fucus spiralis

Hairy Pit Rock Weed {H}

Haplogloia andersonii

Furry Soft Branch {L}

Hedophyllum sessile

Sea Cabbage {M}

Laminaria bongardiana (ex groenlandica)

dissected Laminaria

Laminaria saccharina

Sugar Kelp {L}

Laminaria setchellii

Stiff Laminaria {L}

Leathesia difformis

Convoluted Yellow Sac {M}

Lessoniopsis littoralis

Knarled Tough Root Weed {L}

Macrocystis integrifolia

Branching Giant Kelp {L}

Melanosiphon intestinalis

Yellow Spaghetti Weed {H}

Nereocystis luetkeana

Bull Kelp {L}

Phaeostrophon irregulare

Small Smooth Blade {M}

Pleurophycus gardneri

1 mid-rib kelp

Postelsia palmaeformis

Sea Palm {M}

Pterygophora californica

erect strap stipe seaweed {L}

Ralfsia sp.

Yellow-Brown Thin Crust {M}

Sargassum muticum

Japanese Weed {L}

Scytosiphon simplicissimus (ex S. lomentaria)

Mini-sausage Links {M}

   

RHODOPHYTA [338]

RED ALGAE

Ahnfeltia gigartinoides

Thick Wiry Dark Weed {L}

Ahnfeltia plicata

Thin Wiry Dark Weed {L}

Anti/etc.-thamnions

Red Branching Fluff {M,L}

Bangia vermicularis

Red Sea Hair {H}

Bonnemaisonia nootkana

Delicate Red Feather {L}

Calliarthron/Bossiella spp.

Broad Joint Corallines {M}

Callithamnion pikeanum

Dark Elongate Seamoss {M}

Callophyllis, etc. spp.

Non-veined red leafy {L}

Ceramium spp.

Micro-cross bands {L}

Constantinea simplex

Cup & Saucer {L}

Constantinea subulifera

Eccentric Cup & Saucer {L}

Corallina vancouveriensis

Bushy Cylindrical Coralline {H,M}

Corallina officinalis

Sparse Cylindrical Coralline {M}

Cumagloia andersoni

Gelatinous Spiny Fat Branches {H

Cryptonema obovata

red brown thick blade}

Cryptopleura ruprechtiana (ex Botryoglossum)

Ruffled Net Vein {L}  

Cryptosiphonia woodii

Dark Branching Knob Tip {M}

Delessaria decipiens

Veinless Leaflet Edged {L}

Endocladia muricata

Thin Dark Spiny Wires {H}

Erythrophyllum delesserioides

Tattered Veined Leaf {L}

Farlowia mollis

Ragged Branching Straps {L}

Gastroclonium subarticulatum

Narrow Neck Branching Cylinders {L}

Gelidium coulteri

Blunt-bent tip NON Candelabra

Gelidium purpurescens

Blunt-tip Candelabra {L}

Gigartina corymbifera

Broad Turkish Towel {L}

Gigartina exasperata

Elongate Turkish Towel {L}

Gigartina harveyana

Rough-strap Turkish Towel{L}

Gloiopeltis furcata

Small Gelatinous Sparse Branching {H}

Gracilaria pacifica

Large Gelatinous Irregular Branching {M}

Gymnogongrus leptophyllus

Short Bifurcated-tip Straps {L}

Gymnogongrus linearis

Long Bifurcated-tip Straps {L}

Halosaccion glandiforme

Fine Spray Sea Sacs {M}

Hildenbrandia occidentalis

Dark Red Thin Crust {H}

Iridaea cordata

Purple Iridescent Broad Blades {M}

Iridaea cornucopiae

Yellow-brown Flaring Small Blades {H}

Iridaea heterocarpa

Brownish Iridescent Broad Blades {L}

Iridaea lineare

Purple, Rubbery Elongate Blades {L}

Laurencia spectabilis

Flat Stiff Pinnate Branches {L}

Lithothamnion/phyllum

pink hard Crust {M}

Lithothrix aspergillum

Pink Stick Coralline {L}0

Mastigocarpus papillatus

Small Papillate Straps {H}

Mastigocarpus papillatus

Black Waxy Crust {M,H}

Membranoptera dimorpha

Veined Leaflet Edged {L}

Microcladia borealis

One Sided Round Branches {H}

Microcladia coulteri

Alternate Sided Round Branches {L}

Neorhodomela larix

Black Tufted Bottle Brush {H}

Nemalion helminthoides

Brown Spaghetti {M}

Nienburgia andersoniana

Spiny Lateral Bladelets  {L}

Odonthalia spp.

Dark Dense Knob-tip Branches {M}

Opuntiella californica

Ovoid & Lateral Bladelets {L}

"Petrocelis" stage

Thick Tarspots {H}

Phycodrys setchellii

Veined Blades on Stolon {L}

Pikea californica

Pointed-tip Candelabra {L}

Plocamium cartilagineum

Alternate Sided Outcurved Flat Branches {M}

Plocamium violaceum

Alternate Sides Incurved Flat Branches {M}

Polyneura latissima

Smooth Net Vein {L}

Polysiphonia sp.

tier celled fine tufts

Porphyra spp.

Translucent Steel Grey/Purplish Green {H,M}

Prionitis lanceolata

Rail Road Strap; Small Lateral Blades on Lance {H}

Prionitis linearis

Wiry Spiny Tips {L}

Prionitis lyalli

Lateral Lances on Lance {M}

Ptilota spp.

Serrate Edged Blades {L}

Rhodochorton purpureum

Light Red Shaded Crust {S,H}

Rhodoglossum affine

Short Dichotomous Twisted Branches {M}

Rhodomenia pertusa

Perforated Red Broad Blades {L}

Rhodoptilum plumosum

red feathers} {L}

Sarcodiotheca gaudichaudi

Large One-Plane Pink Branching {L}

Schizymenia pacifica

Broad Soft Slippery Blades {L}

Stenogramme interrupta

Broad Bifurcate Straps {L}

   

FUNGI (incl. LICHENS)   [20+?]

 

"Verrucaria"

High Black Crust {S}

   

ANGIOSPERMS [60]

FLOWERING PLANTS

Phyllospadix scouleri

Surf Grass {M}

Salicornia virginica

Pickle Weed {S}

Zostera japonica

Thin Eel Grass {M}

Zostera marina

Common Eel Grass {L}

   

PORIFERA  [280]

SPONGES

Aplysilla "glacialis"

Pink Slippery Sponge {M}

Cliona sp.

Yellow Boring Sponge {M}

Craniella villosa

Spiny Tennis Ball Sponge {L}

Leucandra species

small tufted pear sponge

Leucilla nuttingi

Stalked Vase Sponge {L}

Leucosolenia Eleanor

White Anastomosing Sphere Sponge {L}

Halichondria "bowerbanki"

Yellow Breadcrumb Sponge {M}

Halichondria panacea

Green Midtide Sponge {H}

"Haliclona permollis"

Purple Midtide Sponge {M}

Halisarca sp.

Slippery thin yellow/tan sponge

Myxilla incrustans

Yellow Brain Sponge

Ophlitaspongia pennata

Red Midtide Sponge {M}

Red sponge species

can be several spp.

Reneira sp. B

steel blue thin sponge

"Scypha" sp.

Unstalked White Vase Sponge {L}

Stelletta clarella

Thick White Prickly Sponge {L}

Suberites sp. A

Thick Yellow Dense Sponge {M}

Tethya californiana (ex T. aurantium)

Orange Textured Ball Sponge {L}

   

COELENTERATA [340]

 

HYDROZOA

 

Abietinaria spp.

Regular Branched Hydroids {L}

Aglaophenia spp.

Stiff Feather Hydroids {L}

Eudendrium spp.

Brown Annulated Hydroids {L}

Garveia spp.

Orange Hydroids {L}

Obelia spp.

Plumose Hydroids {M}

Plumularia spp.

Soft Feather Hydroids {M}

Sertularia

Irregular Branched Yellow Hydroids {L}

Sertularella

No/Few Branched Yellow Hydroids {M}

Stylantheca petrograpta

Red/Violet Hydrocoral Crust {L}

Stylantheca porphyra

Purple Hydrocoral Crust {L}

Tubularia spp.

Large Pink Headed Hydroids {L}

   

ANTHOZOA

 

Anthopleura Artemisia

Drab Column Sharp Tentacled Burrowing Anemone {M}

Anthopleura elegantissima

Small Aggregating Green Anemone {M}

Anthopleura xanthogrammica

Large Solitary Green Anemone {M}

Balanophyllia elegans

Orange Cup Coral {M}

Clavularia spp.

Tan/Ivory Thin Crust Soft Coral {L}

Epiactis spp.

White Radial Lines on Tentacles/Oral Disc Anemone {M}

Epizoanthus scotinus

Colonial Tan Zoanthid {L}

Gersemia rubiformis

Sea Strawberry Soft Coral {M}

Haliplanella lineate

Small Orange Striped Anemone {H}

Metridium giganteum

Solitary Giant Plumose Anemone {L}

Metridium senile

Aggregating Small Plumose Anemone {L}

Paracyathus stearnsi

Tan Cup Coral {L}

Peachia quinquecapitata

Twelve Tentacled Burrowing Anemone {L}

Urticina crassicornis

Red-Olive Green-Variegated Anemone {M}

Urticina coriacea

Red Column Blunt Tentacled Burrowing Anemone {M}

Urticina lofotenis

White Tubercle Red Anemone {L}

   

PLATYHELMINTHES

FLAT WORMS

POLYCLADIDA [60]

 

Various spp.

 

Eurylepta aurantiaca

White Speckled Salmon Tentacled Flatworm {L}

Eurylepta leoparda

Red Spotted Tentacled Flatworm {L}

Kaburakia excelsa

Marginal Eyespots Flatworm {M}

Notoplana celeries

Red Flatworm {L}

Notoplana sanguinea

Red Saddled Flatworm {L}

Pseudoceras Canadensis

Sea Squirt Flatworm {L}

   

NEMERTEA [56]

RIBBON WORMS

Amphiporus angulatus

V-neck Ribbon Worm

Amphiporus bimaculatus

Dual Triangle Ribbon Worm

Amphiphorus formidabilis

Dirty White Ribbon Worm {M}

Amphiporus imparispinosus

Flesh Ribbon Worm {M}

Cerebratulus albifrons

Brown White Tipped Flat Ribbon Worm

Cerebratulus longiceps

Narrow Neck Flat Ribbon Worm

Cerebratulus marginatus

Light Margined Flat Ribbon Worm

Cerebratulus montgomeryi

Red, White Tipped Flat Ribbon Worm