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]
(Pugettia producta) -
[no common name]
(Pugettia sp) -
[no common name]
(Pulsellum salishorum) -
[no common name]
(Puncturella cooperi) -
[no common name]
(Pycnogonida) -
[no common name]
(Pycnogonum rickettsi) -
[no common name]
(Pycnogonum sp) -
[no common name]
(Pygospio californica) -
[no common name]
(Pygospio elegans) -
[no common name]
(Pygospio sp) -
[no common name]
(Pygospio sp N1) -
[no common name]
(Pyrulofusus harpa) -
[no common name]
(Pyura haustor) -
[no common name]
(Pyura sp) -
[no common name]
(Pyuridae) -
[no common name]
(Raricirrus maculatus) -
[no common name]
(Retimohnia frielei) -
[no common name]
(Retimohnia sp) -
[no common name]
(Retusa obtusa) -
[no common name]
(Retusa sp) -
[no common name]
(Retusidae) -
[no common name]
(Rhabdocoela) -
[no common name]
(Rhabdus rectius) -
[no common name]
(Rhachotropis barnardi) -
[no common name]
(Rhachotropis clemens) -
[no common name]
(Rhachotropis oculata) -
[no common name]
(Rhachotropis sp) -
[no common name]
(Rhamphostomella costata) -
[no common name]
(Rhepoxynius abronius) -
[no common name]
(Rhepoxynius barnardi) -
[no common name]
(Rhepoxynius bicuspidatus) -
[no common name]
(Rhepoxynius boreovariatus) -
[no common name]
(Rhepoxynius daboius) -
[no common name]
(Rhepoxynius pallidus) -
[no common name]
(Rhepoxynius sp) -
[no common name]
(Rhepoxynius tridentatus) -
[no common name]
(Rhizocaulus verticillatus) -
[no common name]
(Rhodine bitorquata) -
[no common name]
(Rhynchospio glutaea) -
[no common name]
(Rhynohalicella halona) -
[no common name]
(Rictaxis punctocaelatus) -
[no common name]
(Rissoella alaskensis) -
[no common name]
(Rocinela americana) -
[no common name]
(Rocinela belliceps) -
[no common name]
(Rocinela propodialis) -
[no common name]
(Romaleon branneri) -
[no common name]
(Rutiderma apex) -
[no common name]
(Rutiderma lomae) -
[no common name]
(Sabellidae) -
[no common name]
(Sabellinae) -
[no common name]
(Saccella penderi) -
[no common name]
(Saccella taphria) -
[no common name]
(Saccocirridae) -
[no common name]
(Saccocirrus sp) -
[no common name]
(Saccoglossus sp) -
[no common name]
(Sagitta sp) -
[no common name]
(Samytha californiensis) -
[no common name]
(Sarsia sp) -
[no common name]
(Sarsiella sp) -
[no common name]
(Sarsiellidae) -
[no common name]
(Saxicavella pacifica) -
[no common name]
(Scalibregma californicum) -
[no common name]
(Scaphander sp) -
[no common name]
(Scaphandridae) -
[no common name]
(Scaphopoda) -
[no common name]
(Schistocomus hiltoni) -
[no common name]
(Schisturella cocula) -
[no common name]
(Schizobranchia insignis) -
[no common name]
(Schizobranchia sp) -
[no common name]
(Schizoporella sp) -
[no common name]
(Schizoporella unicornis) -
[no common name]
(Scionella japonica) -
[no common name]
(Scleroconcha trituberculata) -
[no common name]
(Scleroplax granulata) -
[no common name]
(Scolelepis nr yamaguchii) -
[no common name]
(Scolelepis sp) -
[no common name]
(Scolelepis squamata) -
[no common name]
(Scoletoma luti) -
[no common name]
(Scoletoma sp) -
[no common name]
(Scoloplos acmeceps) -
[no common name]
(Scoloplos armiger alaskensis) -
[no common name]
(Scoloplos armiger Cmplx) -
[no common name]
(Scoloplos sp) -
[no common name]
(Scrupocellaria elongata) -
[no common name]
(Scrupocellaria sp) -
[no common name]
(Selaginopsis pinnata) -
[no common name]
(Selaginopsis sp) -
[no common name]
(Selaginopsis triserialis) -
[no common name]
(Serpula columbiana) -
[no common name]
(Serpula sp) -
[no common name]
(Serpulidae) -
[no common name]
(Serpulinae) -
[no common name]
(Sertularella sp) -
[no common name]
(Sertularella tenella) -
[no common name]
(Sertularia mirabilis) -
[no common name]
(Sertularia sp) -
[no common name]
(Sertulariidae) -
[no common name]
(Sigalion spinosus) -
[no common name]
(Sigalionidae) -
[no common name]
(Sigambra bassi)
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