Shoreline Habitat Classification
Estuarine, intertidal, bedrock, open, eulittoral
Rocky intertidal areas in estuarine waters occur occasionally in the Puget Sound; some could be classified as artificial substrata (riprap), while some are classified separately as hardpan. 'Open' sites are in areas exposed to moderate waves or currents which keep silt from settling on the substratum. The plants and animals seen on these rocky substrata are largely a freshwater-tolerant subset of those seen on marine shores. These habitats are used at high tide by sculpins and probably other fishes. Few complete surveys have been done at such sites.
Class ID
49
Class name
Estuarine, intertidal, bedrock, open, eulittoral
Length
76.00
Primary substrate
Bedrock
Secondary substrate
Boulders
Substrate stability
Stable
Substrate key details
No mobile sediment
Wave exposure
Semi-exposed
Blue book classes
Estuarine intertidal bedrock: Open
Map/survey site examples
Places like North side Sucia Island and other bedrock sites in the northern San Juans
Diagnostic species
Fucus distichus
Littorina
Balanus glandula
Mytilus trossulus
Mopalia
Sargassum muticum
Leptasterias hexactis
Clinocottus globiceps
Oligocottus maculosus
Gobiesox maeandricus
Oligocottus snyderi
Clinocottus acuticeps
Habitat classification system
Type
Map link