Custom Species Lists
The over 1800 taxa of benthic infaunal invertebrates listed below were collected as part of the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Marine Sediment Monitoring Program (MSMP). This program, initiated in 1989, is one component of the Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program, a collaborative effort dedicated to monitoring environmental conditions in Puget Sound.
Benthic infaunal invertebrates, often referred to as benthos, are tiny animals, including worms, clams, snails, shrimp, crabs, brittle stars, and many others, that live in the sand and mud at the bottom of Puget Sound. Benthos are an essential link in the Puget Sound food chain, and changes in their community structure and functional groups are an indicator of sediment quality and overall environmental condition. Ecology’s MSMP samples and characterizes the benthos in eight Puget Sound regions and six urban bays on an annual rotational basis, and tracks changes over time that may be due to man-made (for example, toxic chemicals) or natural environmental stressors. Ecology and the Puget Sound Partnership recognize the benthos as one of many Vital Sign Indicators for Puget Sound.
To study the benthos, Ecology relies on taxonomic specialists to identify each animal collected to the lowest possible phylogenetic classification, usually the genus and species level. To preserve this knowledge, and ensure standardized taxonomy for the future of the benthos program, Ecology staff have recently started working with regional taxonomists to create a “voucher sheet”, or a taxonomic description compiled from the scientific literature, for each of our over 1800 taxa. Voucher sheets and taxonomy workshop notes describing Puget Sound benthos that have been generated to date are available in Ecology’s Taxonomic Guides to Benthic Invertebrates of Puget Sound. Also available will be species information drawn from the Encyclopedia of Life.
You can learn more about the benthos in Ecology’s blog. Browse keywords Eyes Under Puget Sound and benthic invertebrates. See also Flickr photos.
For further information, contact Maggie Dutch, Washington State Department of Ecology, margaret.dutch@ecy.wa.gov, 360-407-6021.
Benthic invertebrates of Puget Sound
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[no common name]
(Neomysis sp) -
[no common name]
(Neorhabdocoela) -
[no common name]
(Neosabellaria cementarium) -
[no common name]
(Neotrypaea gigas) -
[no common name]
(Neotrypaea sp) -
[no common name]
(Nephasoma diaphanes) -
[no common name]
(Nephasoma sp) -
[no common name]
(Nephtyidae) -
[no common name]
(Nephtys assignis) -
[no common name]
(Nephtys brachycephala) -
[no common name]
(Nephtys caeca) -
[no common name]
(Nephtys caecoides) -
[no common name]
(Nephtys californiensis) -
[no common name]
(Nephtys ciliata) -
[no common name]
(Nephtys discors) -
[no common name]
(Nephtys ferruginea) -
[no common name]
(Nephtys glabra) -
[no common name]
(Nephtys punctata) -
[no common name]
(Nephtys sp) -
[no common name]
(Neptunea phoenicea) -
[no common name]
(Nereididae) -
[no common name]
(Nereiphylla castanea) -
[no common name]
(Nereis procera) -
[no common name]
(Nereis sp) -
[no common name]
(Nereis vexillosa) -
[no common name]
(Nereis zonata) -
[no common name]
(Neverita lewisii) -
[no common name]
(Nicolea sp) -
[no common name]
(Nicolea zostericola) -
[no common name]
(Nicomache lumbricalis) -
[no common name]
(Nicomache personata) -
[no common name]
(Nicomache sp) -
[no common name]
(Nicomachinae) -
[no common name]
(Ninoe gemmea) -
[no common name]
(Nippoleucon hinumensis) -
[no common name]
(Nipponnemertes pacificus) -
[no common name]
(Nolella sp) -
[no common name]
(Nolella stipata) -
[no common name]
(Nothria occidentalis) -
[no common name]
(Nothria sp) -
[no common name]
(Notoacmea sp) -
[no common name]
(Notocirrus californiensis) -
[no common name]
(Notomastus hemipodus) -
[no common name]
(Notomastus latericeus) -
[no common name]
(Notomastus lineatus) -
[no common name]
(Notomastus sp) -
[no common name]
(Notomastus tenuis) -
[no common name]
(Notophyllum sp) -
[no common name]
(Notoplana sp) -
[no common name]
(Notoproctus pacificus) -
[no common name]
(Nucella sp) -
[no common name]
(Nuculana cellulita) -
[no common name]
(Nuculana hamata) -
[no common name]
(Nuculana minuta) -
[no common name]
(Nuculana pernula) -
[no common name]
(Nuculana sp) -
[no common name]
(Nudibranchia) -
[no common name]
(Nutricola lordi) -
[no common name]
(Nutricola tantilla) -
[no common name]
(Nymphon heterodenticulatum) -
[no common name]
(Nymphon pixellae) -
[no common name]
(Nymphon sp) -
[no common name]
(Nynantheae) -
[no common name]
(Obelia bidentata) -
[no common name]
(Obelia dichotoma) -
[no common name]
(Obelia sp) -
[no common name]
(Ocinebrina sp) -
[no common name]
(Octopoda) -
[no common name]
(Octopus rubescens) -
[no common name]
(Octopus sp) -
[no common name]
(Odontosyllis phosphorea) -
[no common name]
(Odontosyllis sp) -
[no common name]
(Odostomia sp) -
[no common name]
(Oedicerotidae) -
[no common name]
(Oenonidae) -
[no common name]
(Oerstedia dorsalis) -
[no common name]
(Oerstedia sp) -
[no common name]
(Okenia sp) -
[no common name]
(Olea hansineensis) -
[no common name]
(Oligochaeta) -
[no common name]
(Onchidoris bilamellata) -
[no common name]
(Onchidoris sp) -
[no common name]
(Onuphidae) -
[no common name]
(Onuphis elegans) -
[no common name]
(Onuphis geophiliformis) -
[no common name]
(Onuphis iridescens) -
[no common name]
(Onuphis sp) -
[no common name]
(Ophelia assimilis) -
[no common name]
(Ophelia limacina) -
[no common name]
(Ophelia sp) -
[no common name]
(Opheliidae) -
[no common name]
(Ophelina acuminata) -
[no common name]
(Ophelina groenlandica) -
[no common name]
(Ophelina sp) -
[no common name]
(Ophiodermella cancellata) -
[no common name]
(Ophiodermella inermis) -
[no common name]
(Ophiopholis sp) -
[no common name]
(Ophiura luetkenii) -
[no common name]
(Ophiura sarsii) -
[no common name]
(Ophiura sp)
Pages
Search for Species
Utilizing double quotes for exact terms can narrow your search results. Ex. A common name search of Northwestern Sedge matches 'Northwestern Sedge' and 'Northwestern Showy Sedge'. Typing "Northwestern Sedge" return only 'Northwestern Sedge'.
- Abarenicola claparedi - (Rough-skinned lugworm)
- Abarenicola pacifica - (Pacific lugworm)
- Abarenicola sp.
- Abies amabilis - (Pacific Silver Fir)
- Abies concolor - (White Fir)
- Abies grandis - (Grand Fir)
- Abies lasiocarpa - (Subalpine Fir)
- Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa - (Subalpine Fir)
- Abies procera - (Noble Fir)
- Abietinaria sp
Species Lists
External links
- BirdWeb
- Burke Museum
- Native plant list (King County)
- Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program
- USGS: Nonindigenous Aquatic Species in Puget Sound
- Washington Herp Atlas
- Washington Invasive Species Council
- Washington Natural Heritage Program
- Washington Natural Heritage Program species lists
- World Register of Marine Species