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]
(Stenothoides bicoma) -
[no common name]
(Stenothoides sp) -
[no common name]
(Stenula modosa) -
[no common name]
(Stenula sp) -
[no common name]
(Sternaspis affinis) -
[no common name]
(Sternaspis sp) -
[no common name]
(Sthenelais berkeleyi) -
[no common name]
(Sthenelais fusca) -
[no common name]
(Sthenelais sp) -
[no common name]
(Sthenelais tertiaglabra) -
[no common name]
(Stolidobranchia) -
[no common name]
(Streblosoma bairdi) -
[no common name]
(Streblosoma sp) -
[no common name]
(Streblospio benedicti) -
[no common name]
(Strongylocentrotus sp) -
[no common name]
(Styela gibbsii) -
[no common name]
(Styela sp) -
[no common name]
(Stylactaria sp) -
[no common name]
(Stylatula sp) -
[no common name]
(Stylatula sp A) -
[no common name]
(Stylidium eschrichtii) -
[no common name]
(Stylochidae) -
[no common name]
(Stylochus exiguus) -
[no common name]
(Stylochus sp) -
[no common name]
(Sulcoretusa xystrum) -
[no common name]
(Syllidae) -
[no common name]
(Syllides japonicus) -
[no common name]
(Syllides longocirratus) -
[no common name]
(Syllides sp) -
[no common name]
(Syllis gracilis) -
[no common name]
(Syllis sp) -
[no common name]
(Symplectoscyphus sp) -
[no common name]
(Synidotea consolidata) -
[no common name]
(Synidotea nebulosa) -
[no common name]
(Synidotea nodulosa) -
[no common name]
(Synidotea sp) -
[no common name]
(Syrrhoe longifrons) -
[no common name]
(Tanaidacea) -
[no common name]
(Tanaidae) -
[no common name]
(Tecticeps pugettensis) -
[no common name]
(Tegella horrida) -
[no common name]
(Tegella sp) -
[no common name]
(Telacanthomysis columbiae) -
[no common name]
(Tellina carpenteri) -
[no common name]
(Tellina modesta) -
[no common name]
(Tellina nuculoides) -
[no common name]
(Tellina sp) -
[no common name]
(Tellinidae) -
[no common name]
(Tenonia priops) -
[no common name]
(Terebellidae) -
[no common name]
(Terebellides californica) -
[no common name]
(Terebellides horikoshii) -
[no common name]
(Terebellides kobei) -
[no common name]
(Terebellides nr lineata) -
[no common name]
(Terebellides reishi) -
[no common name]
(Terebellides sp) -
[no common name]
(Terebellides stroemii) -
[no common name]
(Terebellinae) -
[no common name]
(Terebratalia sp) -
[no common name]
(Terebratalia transversa) -
[no common name]
(Terebratulida) -
[no common name]
(Terebratulina sp) -
[no common name]
(Terebratulina unguicula) -
[no common name]
(Teredinidae) -
[no common name]
(Teredo sp) -
[no common name]
(Tetrastemma aberrans) -
[no common name]
(Tetrastemma nigrifrons) -
[no common name]
(Tetrastemma sp) -
[no common name]
(Tetrastemma sp C) -
[no common name]
(Tetrastemma sp G) -
[no common name]
(Tetrastemmatidae) -
[no common name]
(Tharyx parvus) -
[no common name]
(Tharyx sp) -
[no common name]
(Tharyx sp N1) -
[no common name]
(Thelepus setosus) -
[no common name]
(Thelepus sp) -
[no common name]
(Thelipodinae) -
[no common name]
(Themisto pacifica) -
[no common name]
(Thenaria) -
[no common name]
(Thorlaksonius brevirostris) -
[no common name]
(Thorlaksonius depressus) -
[no common name]
(Thorlaksonius sp) -
[no common name]
(Thorlaksonius truncatus) -
[no common name]
(Thracia challisiana) -
[no common name]
(Thracia devexa) -
[no common name]
(Thracia sp) -
[no common name]
(Thracia trapezoides) -
[no common name]
(Thuiaria cylindrica) -
[no common name]
(Thuiaria sp) -
[no common name]
(Thuiaria trilateralis) -
[no common name]
(Thyasira flexuosa) -
[no common name]
(Thyasiridae) -
[no common name]
(Thysanocardia nigra) -
[no common name]
(Thysanocardia sp) -
[no common name]
(Thysanoessa cf longipes) -
[no common name]
(Thysanoessa raschii) -
[no common name]
(Thysanoessa sp) -
[no common name]
(Tiron biocellata) -
[no common name]
(Tiron sp) -
[no common name]
(Tomopterus 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