Rokop & Brandon by:

catch . plankton. catch

spherical floats. floats. spherical wide. in 1-3 and

Guided adapted from: “Life Between the ” Tides” the Between “Life from: adapted Guided

feather like appendages called cirri to to cirri called appendages like feather leafy blades and and blades leafy smally hollow and bubble-like, bubble-like, and hollow

feed when the is high using small small using high is tide the when feed

1-3 ft. long, they have have they long, ft. 1-3 yellow-brown in color, color, in yellow-brown that call the intertidal home. home. intertidal the call that animals

move their entire lives. filter filter Barnacles lives. entire their move

low- intertidal. Averaging Averaging intertidal. low- mid intertidal. They are are They intertidal. mid adventure and discover the amazing amazing the discover and adventure

attach to the rocks as larvae, they do not not do they larvae, as rocks the to attach

thick stands in the mid- to to mid- the in stands thick and other seaweeds in the the in seaweeds other and this pocket guide to help you in your your in you help to guide pocket this

beds. Once they they Once beds. mussel This brown forms forms algae brown This

grows on rocks rocks on grows Colpomenia community waiting for you to explore. Use Use explore. to you for waiting community

clumps interspersed with with interspersed clumps

of these zones maintains a unique unique a maintains zones these of

) ) agardhianum Sargassum ( Weed Wire ) ) sinuosa Colpomenia ( Bubble Sea tip. They can be found in in found be can They tip.

a low, high, and middle tidal zone. Each Each zone. tidal middle and high, low, a

length with a calcareous calcareous a with length

predictably flow in and out daily creating creating daily out and in flow predictably

cell wall, the outer skin. skin. outer the wall, cell California. California.

stalk reaching 4 to 6 in. in in in. 6 to 4 reaching stalk

pull of the moon and sun, the tides tides the sun, and moon the of pull

in that it only has one large large one has only it that in intertidal in S. S. in species intertidal

have a fleshy, muscular muscular fleshy, a have

this area. Dictated by the gravitational gravitational the by Dictated area. this

is unique unique is Codium texture. in the most abundant of of abundant most the

Gooseneck barnacles barnacles Gooseneck

environmental pressures characteristic of of characteristic pressures environmental

branches that are spongy spongy are that branches pattern. These are perhaps perhaps are These pattern.

adapted to live under the harsh harsh the under live to adapted ) ) polymerus Pollicipies ( Barnacles Gooseneck

clumps with cylindrical cylindrical with clumps that branch into a feather feather a into branch that

body of marine organisms and plants all all plants and organisms marine of body

that forms large drooping drooping large forms that plants with stony segments segments stony with plants

where land meets sea supports a thriving thriving a supports sea meets land where

is a green algae algae green a is Codium Corallines are small pink pink small are Corallines

interspersed with barnacles. barnacles. with interspersed

unique ecosystems. This vast expanse expanse vast This ecosystems. unique

plankton. Mussel beds are often often are beds Mussel plankton.

fragile) fragile) Codium ( Fingers Man’s Dead

spp.) spp.) Corallina ( algae Coralline Welcome to one of the world’s most most world’s the of one to Welcome

high tide to filter feed on incoming incoming on feed filter to tide high

The Rocky Intertidal Intertidal Rocky The

commonly 3-5 in. long and open during during open and long in. 3-5 commonly

. . epifauna called fresh or dried. dried. or fresh

color. are are Mussels color.

that graze epiphytes are are epiphytes graze that edible and quite tasty, tasty, quite and edible

and dark blue-black in in blue-black dark and

epiphytes and the critters critters the and epiphytes leaves are are leaves Ulva inch. an of

Shells are tear-shaped tear-shaped are Shells

on the grasses are called called are grasses the on ¾ roughly blades, smooth

cemented in place. place. in cemented

intertidal. Algae that grow grow that Algae intertidal. intertidal. Consists of of Consists intertidal.

by tough strands strands tough by

clumps in the lower lower the in clumps in the mid- and low- low- and mid- the in

attached to the rocks rocks the to attached

plants that form large large form that plants turf-like stands atop rocks rocks atop stands turf-like

Mussel beds are firmly firmly are beds Mussel

are flowering flowering are Seagrasses forms dense green, green, dense forms Ulva

) ) californianus Mytilus ( Mussels ) ) californica Ulva ( Lettuce Sea ) ) scouleri Phyllospadix ( Seagrass

Owl ( gigantea) Keyhole Limpet (Megathura crenulata) Intertidal Safety Tips These are the largest of Found on rock surfaces the Pacific Coast true in the low- intertidal, • Remember you are entering a , growing up to 4 these limpets have a federally protected area, taking in. Most specimens are small shell under their of any kind is against the law. 2 in. with a lumpy, low fleshy colored profile shell mottled ending in a large oval white, brown, and “keyhole”. Their mantle • Only explore in designated areas. black. They graze on Ulva and return to can range in color from tan, brown, and Please stick to the path and heed the exact same spot after foraging. Owl black. The keyhole at the of their trail warnings. limpet is considered a delicacy in Baja shell is used to both respire and excrete California. waste.! • Be respectful of the critters who live here, avoid disturbing their Kellet’s ( kelletii) Black Turban ( funebralis) homes, and only touch with two fingers. The shell of the Kellet’s Found in the high and Whelk is tan to white and mid- intertidal, Tegula • Waves and algae can make the can reach up to 6 in. in often form clusters in Cabrillo National Monument length. This species is crevices or on sides of area extremely slippery. Wear sublittoral (meaning that it rocks. They are 1 to 1.5 in. sturdy shoes and step with Intertidal Guide lives deeper than the in height and deep caution. ) but can purple-black in color. They feed on frequently be found in shallow water at microscopic algae and seaweeds. • Be aware of the incoming tide. Do Name ______low tide. The eggs of the Kellet’s Whelk Empty Tegula shells are also a favorite not turn your back to the waves are cream in color and usually found home for hermit . ! and make sure that you can For more information: lined up in a single file. ! www.nps.gov/cabr always reach dry land.

form urchin barrens. barrens. urchin form

ecosystem, they can run rampant and and rampant run can they ecosystem, . pyrifera Macrocystis Kelp, nematocysts. nematocysts.

predators are removed from an an from removed are predators Giant the eating and around crawling underside of rocks or in sandy areas. areas. sandy in or rocks of underside their prey using stinging cells called called cells stinging using prey their

on Giant Kelp. When the urchin’s urchin’s the When Kelp. Giant on them find often will You . tidepools to 3 in. in diameter and found on the the on found and diameter in in. 3 to algae that live in them. Anemone catch catch Anemone them. in live that algae

In the kelp forest adjacent to the the to adjacent forest kelp the In voracious predators and feed frequently frequently feed and predators voracious are mostly small, ranging from 1 1 from ranging small, mostly are tidepools coloration comes from the symbiotic symbiotic the from comes coloration

stick to rocks. They are are They rocks. to stick live normally crabs these five arms. Bat stars in the the in stars Bat arms. five green in color. Their Their color. in green

them move around or or around move them intertidal, the into swept structures between their their between structures 3 to 5 in. and are light light are and in. 5 to 3

small tube feet that help help that feet tube small found be can they Though stars they have web like like web have they stars up to 10 in., but are often often are but in., 10 to up

reach nearly 1 ft. in size. size. in ft. 1 nearly reach their spines, they have have they spines, their more. Unlike other sea sea other Unlike more. can reach a diameter of of diameter a reach can

diameter. Along with with Along diameter. can and color in brown orange, brown, and many many and brown, orange, California anemones. They They anemones. California

between 2 and 4 in. in in in. 4 and 2 between reddish to purple deep multitude of colors of red, red, of colors of multitude is the largest of the S. S. the of largest the is

Kelp Crabs are are Crabs Kelp Globose Purple sea urchins range range urchins sea Purple Bat stars come in a a in come stars Bat The solitary anemone sea solitary The

) ) nuttalli Taliepus ( Kelp Globose ) ) purpuratus Strongylocentrotus ( Urchin Sea ) ) miniata Patiria ( Star Bat ) ) xanthogrammica Anthopleura ( Anemone

without a permit. permit. a without detritus. and digesting the externally. externally. animal the digesting and

illegal to take under a certain size and and size certain a under take to illegal of forms other and material plant consumer pushing their stomachs out of their bodies, bodies, their of out stomachs their pushing as they do not like being in the sunlight. sunlight. the in being like not do they as

their commercial importance, they are are they importance, commercial their They threatened. when “battle” will but covering them with their long arms, arms, long their with them covering found under boulders or in kelp holdfasts holdfasts kelp in or boulders under found

urchins or other animal remains. Due to to Due remains. animal other or urchins predators avoid to sideways quickly move knobby spines. Sea stars feed on urchins by by urchins on feed stars Sea spines. knobby sea star cousins. Brittle stars are often often are stars Brittle cousins. star sea

nocturnal and feed on on feed and nocturnal will They coloration. in blue circles around their their around circles blue more mobility that their their that mobility more

intertidal. Lobsters are are Lobsters intertidal. red or green are and wide distinguished by the bright bright the by distinguished arms that allow them them allow that arms

beds of the the of beds seagrass the in. 2 roughly body shaped cup tube feet. They are are They feet. tube cup have brittle segmented segmented brittle have

sometimes be found in in found be sometimes square- small, a have rocks with their suction suction their with rocks difference is that they they that is difference

mid- to high intertidal. The The intertidal. high to mid- juvenile lobsters can can lobsters juvenile intertidal stuck firmly to to firmly stuck intertidal sea stars. Their primary primary Their stars. sea

found in crevices in the the in crevices in found found mostly offshore, offshore, mostly found found in the lower lower the in found different group than the the than group different

Shore crabs are commonly commonly are crabs Shore Though larger lobsters are are lobsters larger Though Knobby sea stars can be be can stars sea Knobby Brittle stars belong to a a to belong stars Brittle

) ) interruptus Panulirus ( Lobster Spiny ) crassipes Pachygrapsus ( Crab Shore ) ) giganteus Pisaster ( Star Sea Knobby ) ) annulata Ophionereis ( Star Brittle Banded

Hermissenda (Hermissenda crassicornis) Dorid Nudibranch (Diaulula sandiegensis) Two-spot (Octopus bimaculoides) Conspicuous (Stenoplax conspicua) Hermissenda have an Diaulula have distinct Found in holes or These are the largest of elongate body, up to 2 in. brown or black rings on crevices, octopus are the in length, and colored the top of their elliptical secretive creatures. attaining a transparent blue, grey, or shaped body. They get to They have a sack-like length of nearly 4 in. white. The projections on be up to 3 in. long and 2 body roughly 2-8 in. in They have an the top of their body in. wide. The surface of size with 8 sucker elongated body (cerata) are usually their skin is velvety in bearing arms about covered on top by orange-ish in color with white tips and texture due to the calcareous spicules three times the length of their body. They scales or plaques. These chitons are contain small stinging cells called embedded in their skin. These spicules are are rapidly able to change their skin color nocturnal and avoid sunlight by hiding nematocysts that they obtain from their obtained from the sponges they eat and and texture to match their surroundings under rocks in smooth sandy areas. food, the sea anemone. used to defend against predators. using small pigment cells called chromatophores. Hopkins Rose (Hopkinsia rosacea) Sea Hare (Aplysia californica) Moray Eel (Gymnothorax mordax) Sand-castle Worms (Phragmatopoma californica) Rosy nudibranchs are These soft-bodied sea Moray eels are often light A cream colored worm unmistakable with their slugs can have a reddish to dark brown or greenish with lavender tentacles vibrant red and pink brown to greenish grey in color and can be found and black bristles. This coloration. Their body is skin coloration. Sea hare’s in holes or crevices. They worm is a tube builder and approximately 1 in. long feed mostly on red can reach as long as 5 ft. is almost always found in a and they can often be seaweeds, giving them this and up to 14 lbs. They colony that forms a found in seagrass or on coloration. They lay their often eat small fish, honeycomb design. rocks in low pools. The branchial plumes eggs in long, yellow, spaghetti-like mats. octopus, and crustaceans, These eels Though the worm itself is only 2 in. long, from which they breath and rhinophores Like octopus, the sea hare will produce a have two sets of jaws and extremely they cement together tiny grains of sand from which they smell are often covered thick cloud of ink when disturbed to sharp teeth. Be careful when sticking your and shells to create reefs as big as 6 ft. by long distinctive projections called distract would be predators. hands in holes where a moray might papillae. mistake your finger for a delicious fish.