Intertidal Life of Orange County, California

Yellow background, introduced species

Photographed and compiled by Peter J. Bryant (pjbryant@uci.edu), Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697

Sponges Bryozoa

Breadcrumb Sponge,
Halichondria panicea

Sponge

Sponge

Membranipora membranacea

Jellyella tuberculata
Sea Anemones

Moonglow Anemone,
Anthopleura artemisia?

Aggregating Anemone,
Anthopleura elegantissima

Solitary Green ("Starburst") Anemone, Anthopleura sola

Giant Green Anemone,
Anthopleura xanthogrammica

Brooding Sea Anemone,
Epiactis prolifera
Polychaetes

Feather Duster Worm

Feather Duster Worm,
Megalomma sp.

Sandcastle Worm,
Phragmatopoma californica

Calcareous Tube Worm,
Hydroides sp.

Christmas Tree Worm, Spirobranchius sp.
Chitons Octopuses

Conspicuous Chiton,
Stenoplax conspicua
Southern Spiny Chiton,
Nuttallina fluxa
Mossy Chiton,
Mopalia muscosa

Two-spotted Octopus,
Octopus bimaculatus
 
Limpets

Rough Limpet,
Collisella scabra

Southern Finger Limpet,
Lottia austrodigitalis

Owl Limpet,
Lottia gigantea

File Limpet,
Lottia limatula

Giant Keyhole Limpet,
Megathura crenulata
Snails

Threaded Abalone,
Haliotis kamtschatkana assimilis


Wavy Top Turban,
Astraea undosa


Speckled Turban,
Tegula gallina

Black Turban,
Tegula funebralis

Smooth Brown Turban (Norris' Top Shell), Norrisia norrisi

California Horn Snail,
Cerithidea californica

Gem Murex,
Maxwellia gemma

Emarginate Dog Winkle,
Nucella emarginata

Festive Murex,
Pteropurpura festiva

Checkered Periwinkle,
Littorina scutulata

Gray Littorine,
Littorina planaxis

Slipper Limpet, Crepidula sp.

Chestnut Cowrie,
Cypraea spadicea

California Cone Snail,
Conus californicus

Scaly Worm Shell,
Serpulorbis squamigerus

Sea Hare
California Black Sea Hare,
Aplysia vaccaria

Nassa Mud Snail, Nassarius sp.

Sidegill Slug,
Tylodina fungina

Hopkin's Rose, Okenia rosacea

Spanish Shawl,
Flabellina iodinea

Lemon Nudibranch,
Anisodris nobilis

Sorcerer's Nudibranch,
Polycera atra

Speckled Triopha,
Triopha maculata

Opalescent Sea Slug,
Hermissenda opalescens
Bivalves

Pacific Jewelbox,
Pseudochama exogyra

Ribbed Mussel,
Geukensia demissa

Asian date mussel,
Musculista senhousia

California Mussel,
Mytilus californianus
 
Echinoderms

Purple Sea Urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus

Giant Red Sea Urchin,
Strongylocentrotus franciscanus

White Sea Urchin,
Lytechinus anamesus

Sand Dollar,
Dendraster excentricus

Warty Sea Cucumber,
Parastichopus parvimensis

B
rittle Star,
Amphiodia occidentalis

Banded Brittle Star,
Ophionereis annulata

Spiny Brittle Star,
Ophiothrix spiculata

Ochre Star,
Pisaster ochraceus

Bat Star,
Asterina miniata

Leather Star,
Dermasterias imbricata

Pink Sea Star,
Pisaster brevispinus

Comb Sand Star,
Astropecten armatus
   
Amphipods

Amphipod,
Amphithoe plumulosa

Skeleton Shrimp,
Caprella mendax

Beach amphipod,
Melita sp.

California Beach Hopper, Orchestoidea californiana

Big-eyed Beach Hopper, Orchestoidea corniculata
Isopods

Water slater,
Asellus aquaticus

Harford's Isopod,
Cirolana harfordi

Bigtail Isopod,
Exosphaeroma amplicauda

Exosphaeroma inornata

Sea Slater (Rock Louse),
Ligia occidentalis
Barnacles

Goose Barnacle,
Pollicipes polymerus

Acorn Barnacle,
Balanus glandula

California Barnacle,
Megabalanus californicus


Small Acorn Barnacle,
Chthalamus fissus

Red-thatched Barnacle,
Tetraclita rubescens
Crabs

Pacific Sand Crab,
Emerita analoga

Yellow Shore Crab,
Hemigrapsus oregonensis

Striped shore crab,
Pachygrapsus crassipes

Swimming Crab,
Portunus xantusii

Kelp Crab,
Pugettia sp.
Hermit crabs Fish

Hermit Crab,
Pagurus samuelis

Hermit Crab,
Pagurus hirsutiusculus

Hermit Crab

Wooly Sculpin

Opaleye
Sea Spiders  

Ammothea hilgendorfi

Ammothella biunguiculata

Pycnogonum stearnsi

Unidentified