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]
(Eudorella sp) -
[no common name]
(Eudorellopsis integra) -
[no common name]
(Eudorellopsis longirostris) -
[no common name]
(Eudorellopsis sp) -
[no common name]
(Eugyra arenosa) -
[no common name]
(Eulalia californiensis) -
[no common name]
(Eulalia levicornuta Cmplx) -
[no common name]
(Eulalia quadrioculata) -
[no common name]
(Eulalia sp) -
[no common name]
(Eulalia sp N1) -
[no common name]
(Eulima sp) -
[no common name]
(Eulimidae) -
[no common name]
(Eumida longicornuta) -
[no common name]
(Eumida sp) -
[no common name]
(Eumida tubiformis) -
[no common name]
(Eunereis wailesi) -
[no common name]
(Eunice biannulata) -
[no common name]
(Eunoe senta) -
[no common name]
(Eunoe sp) -
[no common name]
(Eunoe uniseriata) -
[no common name]
(Eupentacta pseudoquinquesemita) -
[no common name]
(Eupentacta sp) -
[no common name]
(Euphausia pacifica) -
[no common name]
(Euphausia sp) -
[no common name]
(Euphausiacea) -
[no common name]
(Euphilomedes carcharodonta) -
[no common name]
(Euphilomedes longiseta) -
[no common name]
(Euphilomedes producta) -
[no common name]
(Euphilomedes sp) -
[no common name]
(Euphysa ruthae) -
[no common name]
(Euphysa sp) -
[no common name]
(Euphysa sp A) -
[no common name]
(Eupolymnia heterobranchia) -
[no common name]
(Eupolymnia sp) -
[no common name]
(Eurycope sp) -
[no common name]
(Euryleptodes insularis) -
[no common name]
(Eusarsiella zostericola) -
[no common name]
(Eusiridae) -
[no common name]
(Eusirus columbianus) -
[no common name]
(Eusirus cuspidatus) -
[no common name]
(Eusirus sp) -
[no common name]
(Euspira sp) -
[no common name]
(Eusyllinae) -
[no common name]
(Eusyllis blomstrandi) -
[no common name]
(Eusyllis lamelligera) -
[no common name]
(Eusyllis sp) -
[no common name]
(Eutonina indicans) -
[no common name]
(Exogone dwisula) -
[no common name]
(Exogone lourei) -
[no common name]
(Exogone sp) -
[no common name]
(Eyakia robusta) -
[no common name]
(Fabia sp) -
[no common name]
(Fabia subquadrata) -
[no common name]
(Fartulum occidentale) -
[no common name]
(Fenestruloides umbonata) -
[no common name]
(Filicrisia franciscana) -
[no common name]
(Filicrisia sp) -
[no common name]
(Fiona pinnata) -
[no common name]
(Flabelligera affinis) -
[no common name]
(Flabelligeridae) -
[no common name]
(Flabellina sp) -
[no common name]
(Flabellinidae) -
[no common name]
(Foxiphalus cognatus) -
[no common name]
(Foxiphalus obtusidens) -
[no common name]
(Foxiphalus similis) -
[no common name]
(Foxiphalus sp) -
[no common name]
(Foxiphalus xiximeus) -
[no common name]
(Fusinus sp) -
[no common name]
(Galathowenia oculata) -
[no common name]
(Gammaropsis ellisi) -
[no common name]
(Gammaropsis sp) -
[no common name]
(Gammaropsis thompsoni) -
[no common name]
(Gastropoda) -
[no common name]
(Gastropteron pacificum) -
[no common name]
(Gattyana ciliata) -
[no common name]
(Gattyana cirrhosa) -
[no common name]
(Gattyana sp) -
[no common name]
(Gattyana treadwelli) -
[no common name]
(Gebiidea) -
[no common name]
(Gemelliporella inflata) -
[no common name]
(Gitanopsis sp) -
[no common name]
(Glebocarcinus oregonensis) -
[no common name]
(Glossobalanus sp) -
[no common name]
(Glycera americana) -
[no common name]
(Glycera nana) -
[no common name]
(Glycera robusta) -
[no common name]
(Glycera sp) -
[no common name]
(Glycera tenuis) -
[no common name]
(Glycinde armigera) -
[no common name]
(Glycinde picta) -
[no common name]
(Glycinde sp) -
[no common name]
(Glycymeris sp) -
[no common name]
(Gnathia sp) -
[no common name]
(Gnathopleustes pugettensis) -
[no common name]
(Gnathopleustes sp) -
[no common name]
(Gnorimosphaeroma oregonense) -
[no common name]
(Golfingia sp) -
[no common name]
(Golfingia vulgaris) -
[no common name]
(Golfingiidae) -
[no common name]
(Goniada annulata)
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