Molluscs of Southern California

(Click on images or names to open). 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
and some guests  

Bivalvia
Cardiidae Chamidae Galeommatidae Limidae Lyonsiidae


Pacific eggcockle,
Laevicardium substriatum


Pacific Jewelbox,
Pseudochama exogyra


Internally-shelled clam,
Chlamydoconcha orcutti

Hemphill Fileclam,
Limaria hemphilli

California Lyonsia,
Lyonsia californica
Mactridae        

Pacific Gaper Clam,
Tresus nuttallii
       
Mytilidae  

Quagga Mussel,
Dreissena rostriformis bugensis

Ribbed Mussel,
Geukensia demissa

Asian date mussel,
Musculista senhousia

California Mussel,
Mytilus californianus

Mediterranean Mussel,
Mytilus gallopovincialis

Ostreidae Pectinidae

Olympia Oyster,
Ostrea conchaphila (= lurida?)

Pacific Oyster,
Crassostrea gigas

Giant Rock Scallop,
Crassadoma gigantea

Speckled Scallop,
Argopecten ventricosa

Kelp Scallop,
Leptopecten latiauratus
Petricolidae Pholadidae   Semelidae

Hearty Petricolid,
Petricola carditoides (?)

Rough Piddock,
Zirfaea pilbryi
 
Asian Semele,
Theora lubrica

Clipped semele,
Semele decisa
Solecurtidae       Tellinidae

Neighbor Tagelus,
Tagelus affinis

California Jack-knife Clam,
Tagelus californianus

Lesser Tagelus,
Tagelus subteres
 
Bent-nosed Clam,
Macoma nasuta
Veneridae   Ungulinidae

Pacific Littleneck,
Leukoma staminea

Japanese Littleneck,
Venerupis philippinarum

California Butter Clam,
Saxidomus nuttalli
Orb Diplodon,
Diplodonta orbella

Cephalopoda

Squid,
Loligo (opalescens?)
juvenile


California two-spot Octopus,
Octopus bimaculoides


Octopus
   
Gastropoda
Archaeogastropoda Archaeopulmonata
Fissurellidae     Ellobiidae

Volcano Limpet,
Fissurella volcano

Giant Keyhole Limpet,
Megathura crenulata
   
Salt Marsh Snail,
Melampus olivaceus
Patellogastropoda  
Lottiidae

Southern Finger Limpet,
Lottia austrodigitalis

Rough Limpet,
Lottia scabra

Owl Limpet,
Lottia gigantea

File Limpet,
Lottia limatula

Painted Limpet,
Tectura depicta
Order Littorinimorpha  
Atlantidae Cypraeidae (cowries) Hydrobiidae Littorinidae

Sea snail,
Atlanta californiensis

Chestnut Cowrie,
Neobernaya spadicea

New Zealand Mud Snail,
Potamopyrgus antipodarum

Checkered Periwinkle,
Littorina scutulata


Gray Littorine,
Littorina planaxis

Calyptraeidae (Slipper snails and others)

Slipper Limpet,
Crepidula cf perforans

Slipper limpet,
Crepidula naticarum

Onyx Slipper Limpet,
Crepidula onyx

Pacific Half-slippersnail,
Crepipatella lingulata

Spiny cup-and-saucer snail, Crucibulum spinosum
Naticidae Pterotracheidae Triviidae

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

Moon Snail,
Neverita reclusiana

Sea elephant,
Firoloida desmarestia.


Coffee Bean Snail,
Pseudopusula californiana

Solander's Trivia,
Pusula solandri
Vermetidae        

Scaly Worm Shell,
Thylacodes squamigerus

       
Nudibranchiata
Aegiridae Aeolidiidae Chromodorididae

Salt-and-pepper Doris,
Aegires albopunctatus

Shaggy Mouse Nudibranch,
Aeolidia papillosa

Red-tentacled Spurilla,
Spurilla oliviae


California Blue Dorid,
Felimare californiensis

Porter's Chromodorid Nudibranch, Mexichromis porterae

Corambidae Dendrodorididae Dendronotidae


Frost-spot Nudibranch,
Corambe pacifica


Steinberg's Corambe
Corambe steinbergae


White-spotted sea goddess.
Doriopsilla albopunctata

Doriopsilla davebehrensi

Branched Dendronotus,
Dendronotus venustus
Dironidae Discodorididae Dorididae  

Painted Dirona,
Dirona picta

Sea Lemon,
Peltodoris nobilis

San Diego Dorid,
Diaulula sandiegensis

Monterey Sea Lemon,
Doris montereyensis
 
Dotidae Facelinidae Fionidae  

Hammerhead Doto,
Doto amyra

British Columbia Doto,
Doto columbiana

Opalescent Sea Slug,
Hermissenda opalescens

Fiona nudibranch,
Fiona pinnata
 
Flabellinidae  

Bertsch's Aeolid,
Flabellina bertschi


Spanish shawl,
Flabellina iodinea


Three-lined aeolid,
Flabellina trilineata

Red-gilled Nudibranch,
Flabellina verrucosa

 

Goniodorididae  

Atlantic Ancula,
Ancula gibbosa

Pacific Ancula,
Ancula pacifica

Angeles okenia
Okenia angelensis

Hopkin's Rose,
Okenia rosacea

Onchidorididae

Plakobranchidae      

Black-tipped Spiny Doris,
Acanthodoris rhodoceras


Hedgpeth's sea hare,
Elysia hedgpeth

     
Polyceratidae

Cockerell's Dorid,
Limacia cockerelli


McDonald's Dorid,
Limacia mcdonaldi

Sorcerer's Nudibranch,
Polycera atra

Hedgpeth's dorid,
Polycera hedgpethi

Speckled Triopha,
Triopha maculata
Tethyidae Trinchesiidae Zephyrinidae    

Hooded Nudibranch,
Melibe leonina

White-crusted Aeolid,
Tenellia (=Cuthona) albocrusta

Cockscomb Nudibranch,
Janolus barbarensis

   
Opisthobranchia
Acteonidae Aglajidae Aplysiidae
Striped Barrel Snail,
Rictaxis punctocaelatus

Striped Sea Hare,
Navanax inermis

Sea Hare,
Aplysia californica
California Black Sea Hare,
Aplysia vaccaria

Eelgrass Sea Hare,
Phyllaplysia taylori
Bullidae Hermaeidae

Haminoeidae

Limapontidae Pyramidellidae
Bubble Snail,
Bulla gouldiana
Enteromorpha-eating Sapsucker,
Aplysiopsis enteromorpha


Blister Glassy-bubble,
Haminoea vesicula


Brown-streak Stiliger,
Stiliger fuscovittatus

Adams' pyram,
Pyramidella adamsi
Tylodinidae        

Sidegill Slug,
Tylodina fungina
       
Order Neogastropoda
Conidae        

California Cone Snail,
Conus californicus
       
Muricidae
Angular Unicorn,
Acanthinucella spirata


Belcher's Murex,
Forreria belcheri

Gem Murex,
Maxwellia gemma

Rock snail,
(Mexacanthina lugubris?)

Striped Dogwinkle,
Nucella emarginata

Festive Murex,
Pteropurpura festiva

Poulson's Dwarf Triton,
Roperia poulsoni
     
Nassariidae Potamididae    

Channeled Basket Snail,
Nassarius fossatus

Nassa Mud Snail,
Nassarius sp.

California Horn Snail,
Cerithideopsis californica

 

 
Order Stylommatophora    
Helicidae   Subulinidae  

European Garden Snail,
Cornu aspersum

Spanish Snail,
Otala lactea
 
Decollate Snail,
Rumina decollata
 
Polyplacophora Pulmonata (Land snails)    
Mopaliidae Lepidochitonidae Xantonychidae  
Mossy Chiton,
Mopalia muscosa

Southern Spiny Chiton,
Nuttallina fluxa

Southern California Shoulderband, Helminthoglypta tudiculata
   
Vetigastropoda  
Haliotidae  

Black Abalone,
Haliotis cracherodii

Green Abalone,
Haliotis fulgens

Red Abalone,
Haliotis rufescens

Threaded Abalone, Haliotis kamtschatkana assimilis
Trochidae Turbinidae  

Speckled Turban,
Tegula gallina

Black Turban,
Tegula funebralis

Wavy Top Turban,
Astraea undosa
   
Thecosomata: Desmopteridae Discidae      

Sea Butterfly,
Desmopterus pacificus

Rotund Disc,
Discus rotundatus