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]
(Chaetozone columbiana) -
[no common name]
(Chaetozone commonalis) -
[no common name]
(Chaetozone setosa Cmplx) -
[no common name]
(Chaetozone sp) -
[no common name]
(Chaetozone sp N1) -
[no common name]
(Chaetozone sp N2) -
[no common name]
(Chapperiopsis patula) -
[no common name]
(Cheilonereis cyclurus) -
[no common name]
(Cheilopora praelonga) -
[no common name]
(Cheirimedeia cf macrodactyla) -
[no common name]
(Cheirimedeia macrocarpa) -
[no common name]
(Cheirimedeia macrocarpa americana) -
[no common name]
(Cheirimedeia similicarpa) -
[no common name]
(Cheirimedeia sp) -
[no common name]
(Cheirimedeia zotea) -
[no common name]
(Chelyosoma columbianum) -
[no common name]
(Chelyosoma productum) -
[no common name]
(Chiridota sp) -
[no common name]
(Chirimia nr biceps) -
[no common name]
(Chirimia similis) -
[no common name]
(Chirimia sp) -
[no common name]
(Chironomidae) -
[no common name]
(Chlamys sp) -
[no common name]
(Chone aurantiaca) -
[no common name]
(Chone gracilis) -
[no common name]
(Chone infundibuliformis) -
[no common name]
(Chone magna) -
[no common name]
(Chone mollis) -
[no common name]
(Chone sp) -
[no common name]
(Ciliatocardium ciliatum ciliatum) -
[no common name]
(Ciona intestinalis) -
[no common name]
(Circeis armoricana) -
[no common name]
(Circeis sp) -
[no common name]
(Circeis spirillum) -
[no common name]
(Cirratulidae) -
[no common name]
(Cirratulus robustus) -
[no common name]
(Cirratulus sp) -
[no common name]
(Cirratulus spectabilis) -
[no common name]
(Cirriformia sp) -
[no common name]
(Cirriformia spirabrancha) -
[no common name]
(Cirripedia) -
[no common name]
(Cirrophorus branchiatus) -
[no common name]
(Cladonema sp) -
[no common name]
(Clausidium vancouverense) -
[no common name]
(Clavadoce nigrimaculata) -
[no common name]
(Clavopora occidentalis) -
[no common name]
(Clinocardium sp) -
[no common name]
(Cliona sp) -
[no common name]
(Clymenella complanata) -
[no common name]
(Clymenella sp) -
[no common name]
(Clymenura columbiana) -
[no common name]
(Clymenura gracilis) -
[no common name]
(Clymenura sp) -
[no common name]
(Clytia sp) -
[no common name]
(Coleoptera) -
[no common name]
(Collembola) -
[no common name]
(Compsomyax sp) -
[no common name]
(Copidozoum adamantum) -
[no common name]
(Corambe pacifica) -
[no common name]
(Corambe sp) -
[no common name]
(Corambe steinbergae) -
[no common name]
(Corella sp) -
[no common name]
(Corella willmeriana) -
[no common name]
(Corophiidae) -
[no common name]
(Corophioidea) -
[no common name]
(Corymorpha sp) -
[no common name]
(Coryne sp) -
[no common name]
(Corynidae) -
[no common name]
(Cossura bansei) -
[no common name]
(Cossura pygodactylata) -
[no common name]
(Cossura sp) -
[no common name]
(Cossuridae) -
[no common name]
(Crangon alaskensis) -
[no common name]
(Crangon dalli) -
[no common name]
(Crangon franciscorum) -
[no common name]
(Crangon nigricauda) -
[no common name]
(Crangon sp) -
[no common name]
(Crangonidae) -
[no common name]
(Cranopsis cucullata) -
[no common name]
(Crassicorophium crassicorne) -
[no common name]
(Crenella decussata) -
[no common name]
(Crepidula adunca) -
[no common name]
(Crepidula dorsata) -
[no common name]
(Crepidula sp) -
[no common name]
(Cribrilina annulata) -
[no common name]
(Crisia occidentalis) -
[no common name]
(Crisia pugeti) -
[no common name]
(Crisia serrulata) -
[no common name]
(Crisia sp) -
[no common name]
(Crossaster sp) -
[no common name]
(Crucigera zygophora) -
[no common name]
(Crustacea) -
[no common name]
(Cryptomya californica) -
[no common name]
(Cryptonatica affinis) -
[no common name]
(Ctenophora) -
[no common name]
(Ctenostomatida) -
[no common name]
(Cucumaria piperata) -
[no common name]
(Cucumaria sp) -
[no common name]
(Cucumariidae) -
[no common name]
(Cumacea)
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