Brandon & Rokop & Brandon by:
catch plankton. plankton. catch Guided adapted from: “Life Between the Tides” Tides” the Between “Life from: adapted Guided
floats. floats. 3 in wide. wide. in 3 - 1 and feather like appendages called cirri to to cirri called appendages like feather
leafy blades and spherical spherical and blades leafy feed when the tide is high using small small using high is tide the when feed like, like, - bubble and hollow
move their entire lives. Barnacles filter filter Barnacles lives. entire their move
3 ft. long, they have smally smally have they long, ft. 3 brown in color, color, in brown - yellow are
attach to the rocks as larvae, they do not not do they larvae, as rocks the to attach
animals that call the intertidal home. home. intertidal the call that animals
- 1 Averaging intertidal. - low in the mid intertidal. They They intertidal. mid the in
Once they Once
adventure and discover the amazing amazing the discover and adventure
to to - mid the in stands thick rocks and other seaweeds seaweeds other and rocks
with mussel beds. beds. mussel with
pocket guide to help you in your your in you help to guide pocket
This brown algae forms forms algae brown This clumps interspersed interspersed clumps grows on on grows Colpomenia
waiting for you to explore. Use this this Use explore. to you for waiting
can be found in in found be can
zones maintains a unique community community unique a maintains zones
calcareous tip. They They tip. calcareous
) ) sinuosa Colpomenia ( Bubble Sea ) ) agardhianum Sargassum ( Wireweed
and middle tidal zone. Each of these these of Each zone. tidal middle and
in length with a a with length in
and out daily creating a low, high, high, low, a creating daily out and stalk reaching 4 to 6 in. in. 6 to 4 reaching stalk
and sun, the tides predictably flow in in flow predictably tides the sun, and California. California. have a fleshy, muscular muscular fleshy, a have cell wall, the outer skin. skin. outer the wall, cell
by the gravitational pull of the moon moon the of pull gravitational the by Gooseneck barnacles barnacles Gooseneck intertidal species in S. S. in species intertidal
that it only has one large large one has only it that
characteristic of this area. Dictated Dictated area. this of characteristic
the most abundant of of abundant most the is unique in in unique is Codium texture.
) ) polymerus Pollicipies ( Barnacles Gooseneck
pressures environmental harsh the
pattern. These are perhaps perhaps are These pattern. branches that are spongy in in spongy are that branches
and plants all adapted to live under under live to adapted all plants and
that branch into a feather feather a into branch that clumps with cylindrical cylindrical with clumps thriving body of marine organisms organisms marine of body thriving
plants with stony segments segments stony with plants that forms large drooping drooping large forms that where land meets sea supports a a supports sea meets land where
often interspersed with barnacles. barnacles. with interspersed often Corallines are small pink pink small are Corallines unique ecosystems. This vast expanse expanse vast This ecosystems. unique is a green algae algae green a is Codium
Welcome to one of the world’s most most world’s the of one to Welcome incoming plankton. Mussel beds are are beds Mussel plankton. incoming
Corallina spp.) spp.) Corallina ( algae Coralline fragile) Codium ( Fingers Man’s Dead
during high tide to filter feed on on feed filter to tide high during The Rocky Intertidal Intertidal Rocky The
5 in. long and open open and long in. 5 - 3 commonly
called epifauna. epifauna. called
color. Mussels are Mussels color.
that graze epiphytes are are epiphytes graze that
black in in black - blue dark and tasty, fresh or dried. dried. or fresh tasty,
epiphytes and the critters critters the and epiphytes
are edible and quite quite and edible are
shaped shaped - tear are Shells
on the grasses are called called are grasses the on leaves leaves Ulva inch. an of
cemented in place. place. in cemented
smooth blades, roughly ¾ ¾ roughly blades, smooth intertidal. Algae that grow grow that Algae intertidal.
by tough strands strands tough by
intertidal. Consists of of Consists intertidal.
clumps in the lower lower the in clumps
- low and - mid the in attached to the rocks rocks the to attached
plants that form large large form that plants
like stands atop rocks rocks atop stands like - turf
Mussel beds are firmly firmly are beds Mussel
Seagrasses are flowering flowering are Seagrasses forms dense green, green, dense forms Ulva
Mytilus californianus) californianus) Mytilus ( Mussels ) ) scouleri Phyllospadix ( Seagrass Ulva californica) californica) Ulva ( Lettuce Sea
Owl Limpet (Lottia gigantea) Keyhole Limpet (Megathura crenulata) These are the largest of Found on rock surfaces Intertidal Safety Tips the Pacific Coast true in the low- intertidal, limpets, growing up to 4 these limpets have a in. Most specimens are small shell under their • Remember you are entering a 2 in. with a lumpy, low fleshy colored mantle federally protected area, taking profile shell mottled ending in a large oval of any kind is against the law. white, brown, and “keyhole”. Their mantle black. They graze on Ulva and return to can range in color from tan, brown, • Only explore in designated the exact same spot after foraging. Owl and black. The keyhole at the apex of areas. Please stick to the path limpet is considered a delicacy in Baja their shell is used to both respire and California. excrete waste. and heed trail warnings. • Be respectful of the critters who live here, avoid disturbing their Kellet’s Whelk(Kelletia kelletii) Black Turban Snail (Tegula funebralis) homes, and only touch with two fingers. The shell of the Kellet’s Found in the high Whelk is tan to white and and mid- intertidal, Cabrillo National Tegula often form • Waves and algae can make the Monument Intertidal Guide can reach up to 6 in. in area extremely slippery. Wear length. This species is clusters in crevices or sublittoral (meaning that it on sides of rocks. sturdy shoes and step with lives deeper than the They are 1 to 1.5 in. in caution. intertidal zone) but can height and deep frequently be found in shallow purple-black in color. They feed on • Be aware of the incoming tide. Name: water at low tide. The eggs of the microscopic algae and seaweeds. Do not turn your back to the Kellet’s Whelk are cream in color Empty Tegula shells are also a favorite waves and make sure that you and usually found lined up in a home for hermit crabs. can always reach dry land. Contact the park for more information: single file. (http://www.nps.gov/cabr)
form urchin barrens. barrens. urchin form
ecosystem, they can run rampant and and rampant run can they ecosystem, nematocysts. nematocysts. . . pyrifera Macrocystis Kelp,
urchin’s predators are removed from an an from removed are predators urchin’s 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 crawling around and eating the Giant Giant the eating and around crawling
frequently on Giant Kelp. When the the When Kelp. Giant on frequently 1 to 3 in. in diameter and found on the the on found and diameter in in. 3 to 1 algae that live in them. Anemone catch catch Anemone them. in live that algae tidepools. You will often find them them find often will You tidepools.
voracious predators and feed feed and predators voracious tidepools are mostly small, ranging from from ranging small, mostly are tidepools coloration comes from the symbiotic symbiotic the from comes coloration In the kelp forest adjacent to the the to adjacent forest kelp the In
to rocks. They are They rocks. to Bat stars in the in stars Bat green in color. Their color. in green crabs normally live normally crabs
move around or stick stick or around move between their five arms. arms. five their between to 5 in. and are light light are and in. 5 to into the intertidal, these these intertidal, the into
feet that help them them help that feet have web like structures structures like web have are often 3 3 often are but in., 10 to can be found swept swept found be can
they have small tube tube small have they other sea stars they they stars sea other reach a diameter of up up of diameter a reach 1 ft. in size. Though they they Though size. in ft. 1
Along with their spines, spines, their with Along and many more. Unlike Unlike more. many and anemones. They can can They anemones. and can reach nearly nearly reach can and
4 in. in diameter. diameter. in in. 4 red, orange, brown, brown, orange, red, of the S. California California S. the of reddish brown in color color in brown reddish
range between 2 and and 2 between range multitude of colors of of colors of multitude anemone is the largest largest the is anemone are deep purple to to purple deep are
urchins sea Purple Bat stars come in a a in come stars Bat The solitary sea sea solitary The Globose Kelp Crabs Crabs Kelp Globose
) ) nuttalli Taliepus ( Crab Kelp Globose ) ) purpuratus Strongylocentrotus ( Urchin Sea ) ) zola Anthopleura ( Anemone ) miniata Patiria ( Star Bat
without a permit. permit. a without
and digesting the animal externally. externally. animal the digesting and of detritus. detritus. of
illegal to take under a certain size and and size certain a under take to illegal
pushing their stomachs out of their bodies, bodies, their of out stomachs their pushing
consume plant material and other forms forms other and material plant consume
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
by covering them with their long arms, arms, long their with them covering by
but will “battle” when threatened. They They threatened. when “battle” will but
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
knobby spines. Sea stars feed on urchins urchins on feed stars Sea spines. knobby
move quickly sideways to avoid predators predators avoid to sideways quickly move
sea star cousins. Brittle stars are often often are stars Brittle cousins. star sea
nocturnal and feed on on feed and nocturnal their around circles
coloration. They will will They coloration.
more mobility that their that mobility more
intertidal. Lobsters are are Lobsters intertidal. by the bright blue blue bright the by
and are green or red in in red or green are and
arms that allow them them allow that arms
seagrass beds of the the of beds seagrass They are distinguished distinguished are They
body roughly 2 in. wide wide in. 2 roughly body
have brittle segmented segmented brittle have
be found in the the in found be suction cup tube feet. feet. tube cup suction
shaped shaped - square small, a
difference is that they they that is difference
lobsters can sometimes sometimes can lobsters to rocks with their their with rocks to
high intertidal. The have have The intertidal. high
sea stars. Their primary primary Their stars. sea
offshore, juvenile juvenile offshore, intertidal stuck firmly firmly stuck intertidal
to to - mid the in crevices
different group than the the than group different
are found mostly mostly found are be found in the lower lower the in found be
commonly found in in found commonly
Brittle stars belong to a a to belong stars Brittle
Though larger lobsters lobsters larger Though Knobby sea stars can can stars sea Knobby Shore crabs are are crabs Shore
) ) annulata Ophionereis ( Star Brittle Banded Spiny Lobster Lobster Spiny crassipes) Pachygrapsus ( Crab Shore Pisaster giganteus) giganteus) Pisaster ( Star Sea Knobby interruptus) Panulirus (
Hermissenda (Hermissenda crassicornis) Dorid Nudibranch (Diaulula sandiegensis) Two-spot Octopus (Octopus Conspicuous Chiton (Stenoplax conspicua) bimaculoides) Hermissenda have an Found in holes or elongate body, up to 2 Diaulula have distinct These are the largest brown or black rings on crevices, octopus are of the Southern in. in length, and secretive creatures. colored transparent the top of their elliptical California chitons shaped body. They get They have a sack-like attaining a length of blue, grey, or white. body roughly 2-8 in. in The projections on the to be up to 3 in. long and nearly 4 in. They have 2 in. wide. The surface of size with 8 sucker an elongated body top of their body bearing arms about (cerata) are usually their skin is velvety in 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 Moray eels are often These soft-bodied sea slugs light to dark brown or A cream colored worm unmistakable with their can have a reddish brown with lavender tentacles vibrant red and pink greenish in color and to greenish grey skin can be found in holes or and black bristles. This coloration. Their body is coloration. Sea hare’s worm is a tube builder and approximately 1 in. long crevices. They can feed mostly on red reach as long as 5 ft. is almost always found in a and they can often be seaweeds, giving them this colony that forms a found in seagrass or on and up to 14 lbs. They 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.