Common Southern California Rocky Intertidal Species ANNELIDS Scientific Name Common Name Abbreviation Spirorbis sp. Coiled tube worm SPSP Description: A very small (less than 5 mm long) worm that makes a coiled white tube. Chaetopterus variopedatus Parchment tube worm CHVA Description: A large (up to 400 mm long) worm that creates a paper-like tube around itself for protection. Phragmatopoma californica Sandy tube worm PHCA Description: A solitary worm that builds a sandy tube to live in; They often clump together to form large “sand castles” CNIDARIANS (anemones & corals) Scientific Name Common Name Abbreviation Anthopleura elegantissima Aggregate anemone ANEL Description: Smaller (usually less than 100 mm across), colonial animals.; often cover their bodies with pebbles and shell fragments. Anthopleura xanthogrammica Green anemone ANXA Description: Large (up to 250 mm across), single animals; disk can be white to green in colour. Corynactis californica Strawberry anemone COCL Description: Small (less than 50 mm across), single animals, although they may be found in clumps; disk is often pink or red in colour. Balanophyllia elegans Orange cup coral BAEL Description: Very small (10 to 15 mm across), single animals, although they may be found in clumps; orange or yellowish-orange in colour. CRUSTACEANS BARNACLES: Nonmoving as adults, may be roughly volcano shaped, or hoof shaped and on stalks. Scientific Name Common Name Abbreviation Balanus glandula White acorn barnacle BAGL Description: B. glandula: bigger than C. fissus, up to 15 mm in diameter and 10 mm high; white to grey in colour; cone shaped, with a diamond-shaped operculum; and deeply ridged plates. Megabalanus californicus Red & white barnacle MECA Description: Large, up to 50 mm in diameter and 30 mm in height;plates are red with white lines; finely grooved; has distinct white sections between striped plates. Chthamalus fissus Brown barnacle CHFI Description: Small, up to 8 mm in diameter and 5 mm high; brown-greyish; smooth with oval operculum. Tetraclita squamosa Thatched barnacle TESQ Description: Diameter up to 40 mm; wall consisting of 4 obvious plates that are deeply grooved and reddish-grey. Pollicipes polymerus Goosenecked barnacle POPO Description: A stalked barnacle, with 2 large and many small lumpy plates on each side. CRABS: Usually oval or triangular in shape; flattened top to bottom; have 2 large pinchers and 8 legs; antennae generally between the eyes. Scientific Name Common Name Abbreviation Pachygrapsus crassipes Striped shore crab PACR Description: Carapace is almost rectangular and green to purple, with lighter coloured stripes; probably the most common tidepool crab; up to 40 mm wide. Hemigrapsus nudus Purple shore crab HENU Description: Carapace is almost rectangular and red to purple in colour, with no stripes; up to 40 mm wide. Cancer antennarius Common rock crab CAAN Description: Carapace is very oval; the top of the carapace is brownish, while the bottom and legs are covered with small reddish or purple spots; can get very large. Cancer productus Red rock crab CAPR Description: Carapace is very oval; the top of the carapace is generally red or reddish-purple; adults smaller than C. antennarius. Pugettia producta Northern kelp crab PUPR Description: Adults grow up to 80 mm, not including legs; colour ranges from light yellowish-brown to dark olive-brown, carapace has 2 spines on each side. Petrolisthes cinctipes Flat porcelain crab PECI Description: Small crabs, usually less than 15 mm, with antennae outside the eyes; claws are long, relative to the body. Pagurus samuelis Blue-clawed hermit crab PASA Description: Commonly found in tidepools; claws and legs have blue bands near the ends; use discarded snail shells for protection. LOBSTER and SHRIMP: Long in shape, flattened on the sides, with multiple legs and an obvious tail. Scientific Name Common Name Abbreviation Panulirus interruptus California spiny lobster PAIN Description: Adults grow up to 1000 mm in length; have long, spiny antennae, but no large claws; they are generally greenish brown as juveniles, turning reddish brown as adults. Lysmata californica Striped shrimp LYCA Description: Adults grow up to 50 mm in length; clear to white with lengthwise reddish stripes. Heptacarpus sitchensis Green shrimp HESI Description: Adults grow up to 25 mm in length; green in colour, with reddish vertical stripes near the head. ISOPODS: Long in shape, flattened top to bottom, with multiple legs and a tail. Ligia occidentalis Western sea roach LIOC Description: Roach-like crustaceans up to 50 mm long that are commonly found above the high water mark. MOLLUSCS GASTROPOD MOLLUSCS: Molluscs with a single shell that often, but not always spirals outward as the animal grows. Scientific Name Common Name Abbreviation Haliotis cracherodii Black abalone HACR Description: Abalone have a large, flat shell with a curved row of holes along one side. The black abalone has a smooth, black shell. Fissurella volcano Volcano limpet FIVO Description: A tent-shaped shell with no spiral. Fissurella is small (to 30 mm) with an oval shell that has a small opening at the top. Colour varies, but they often have radiating stripes. Megathura crenulata Giant keyhole limpet MECR Description: The largest Southern California limpet (to 120 mm); mantle may be black or tan with brown markings; foot is generally orange; shell is oval, with a .5 to 1 mm central hole and radiating ribs. Lottia gigantea Giant owl limpet LOGI Description: A large limpet (up to 70 mm), oval in shape; generally brown with white markings. Collisella digitalis Finger limpet CODI Description: A small limpet (up to 25 mm), oval in shape with radiating ridges; has a smooth shell edge; generally brown with white markings. Collisella scabra Rough limpet COSC Description: A small limpet (up to 25 mm), has strongly radiating ridges and an irregular shell edge. black or grey to dirty white in colour. Collisella limatula File limpet COLI Description: A small limpet (up to 20 mm), with a very low oval shell that is smooth or has fine ridges; tan to grey in colour. Crepidula onyx Onyx slipper shell CRON Description: A small cone-shaped shell (up to 50 mm), smooth and dirty white outside with a small shelf inside that can be seen on dead shells. Serpulorbis squamigerus Tube snail SESQ Description: This stationary snail is generally found attached to rocks; the shell coils initially, but then becomes a long, squiggly tube. Olivella biplicata Purple olive shell OLBI Description: A small (up to 25 mm long) oval shaped spiral shell; light grey to dark purple in color; the shell opening is a long slit. Tegula funebralis Black turban snail TEFU Description: A medium sized (up to 30 mm) smooth, spiraled shell; no umbilicus; black in colour, but the black often wears off at the top; found in the upper intertidal zone. Tegula eiseni Banded turban snail TEEI Description: A small sized (up to 25 mm) snail with light, beaded ridges running along the spiral of the shell; open umbilicus; light to medium in colour, often patterned; found in the middle to low intertidal zone. Tegula aureotincta Gilded turban snail TEAU Description: A medium sized (up to 40 mm) snail with heavy ridges running along the spiral of the shell; open umbilicus coloured yellow or orange; grey or greenish grey in colour; found in the low intertidal zone. Norrisia norrisi Brown turban snail NONO Description: A medium sized (up to 50 mm) snail with a smooth, flat shell; brown in colour, with a bright green umbilicus and bright red on its foot. Littorina scutulata Checkered periwinkle LISC Description: A small (up to 10 mm long) snail with rounded, tapered shell; usually brownish with pale markings. Lithopoma undosa Wavy top turban LIUN Description: A large (up to 130 mm in diameter, 100 mm high) snail with a heavy, wavy edge; the shell is usually white, but often covered by stringy, brown membrane. Ceratostoma nuttalli Nuttall’s hornmouth CENU Description: A medium sized (up to 50 mm long) shell with a large opening; there is a large, tooth-like spike near the bottom of the opening, and it has obvious ridges running across the spiral; it is often banded brown and white in colour Pteropurpura festiva Festive murex PTFE Description: A small sized (up to 20 mm long) shell with a large opening; it has obvious ridges running across the spiral; it is often light brown with fine, dark brown lines. Ocenebra poulsoni Poulson’s rock shell OCPO Description: A medium sized (up to 50 mm long) shell with a large opening and a long, tapering spire; it may have white ridges running across the spiraled is otherwise a medium brown with white accents. Maxwellia gemma Gem murex MAGE Description: A small sized (up to 30 mm long) shell with a small opening near the middle, a short spire, and a long, grooved tail; the shell is white with brown bands. Acanthina spirata Angular unicorn ACSP Description: A small sized (up to 25 mm long) shell with a very large opening and a short spire; there is a sharp spine located along the lower lip of the opening; it is greyish-green with light bands. Acanthina emarginata Emarginate dogwinkle ACEM Description: A small sized (up to 25 mm long) shell with a large opening and a short spire; they are grey to brown to orange with white bands. Kelletia kelleti Kellet’s whelk KEKE Description: A large sized (up to 150 mm long) snail with a heavy, whorled shell that has a long, tapered spire; the shells are naturally tan to white, but often have a layer of green algae covering the shell. Conus californicus California cone shell COCA Description: A small sized (up to 25 mm long) brown snail who’s shell has a long slit opening and a short spire; it is found in the low intertidal.