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]
(Pandalus tridens) -
[no common name]
(Pandeidae) -
[no common name]
(Pandora bilirata) -
[no common name]
(Pandora filosa) -
[no common name]
(Pandora glacialis) -
[no common name]
(Pandora sp) -
[no common name]
(Pandora wardiana) -
[no common name]
(Panomya ampla) -
[no common name]
(Panomya sp) -
[no common name]
(Paracalanus sp) -
[no common name]
(Paracaudina chilensis) -
[no common name]
(Paradialychone bimaculata) -
[no common name]
(Paradialychone ecaudata) -
[no common name]
(Paradoneis eliasoni) -
[no common name]
(Paradoneis lyra) -
[no common name]
(Paradoneis sp) -
[no common name]
(Paradoneis spinifera) -
[no common name]
(Paradulichia sp) -
[no common name]
(Paradulichia typica) -
[no common name]
(Paraeuchaeta elongata) -
[no common name]
(Parametaphoxus quaylei) -
[no common name]
(Parametopella sp) -
[no common name]
(Paramoera (Humilomoera) sp) -
[no common name]
(Paranaitis polynoides) -
[no common name]
(Paranaitis sp) -
[no common name]
(Paranaitis sp N1) -
[no common name]
(Paranemertes californica) -
[no common name]
(Paranemertes peregrina) -
[no common name]
(Paranemertes sp) -
[no common name]
(Paraonidae) -
[no common name]
(Paraonides platybranchia) -
[no common name]
(Parapasiphae sp) -
[no common name]
(Paraphoxus cf gracilis) -
[no common name]
(Paraphoxus communis) -
[no common name]
(Paraphoxus oculatus) -
[no common name]
(Paraphoxus sp) -
[no common name]
(Parapleustes americanus) -
[no common name]
(Parapleustes sp) -
[no common name]
(Parapleustinae) -
[no common name]
(Paraprionospio alata) -
[no common name]
(Paraprionospio sp) -
[no common name]
(Parasabella media) -
[no common name]
(Parasabella rugosa) -
[no common name]
(Parasabella sp) -
[no common name]
(Parathalestris sp) -
[no common name]
(Pardalisca cuspidata) -
[no common name]
(Pardalisca sp) -
[no common name]
(Pardalisca tenuipes) -
[no common name]
(Pardaliscidae) -
[no common name]
(Parexogone molesta) -
[no common name]
(Parougia caeca) -
[no common name]
(Parvamussium alaskense) -
[no common name]
(Parvaplustrum sp) -
[no common name]
(Parvilucina tenuisculpta) -
[no common name]
(Pasiphaea pacifica) -
[no common name]
(Peachia quinquecapitata) -
[no common name]
(Pectinaria californiensis) -
[no common name]
(Pectinaria granulata) -
[no common name]
(Pectinaria sp) -
[no common name]
(Pectinidae) -
[no common name]
(Pedicellina cernua) -
[no common name]
(Pennatulacea) -
[no common name]
(Pentamera lissoplaca) -
[no common name]
(Pentamera pediparva) -
[no common name]
(Pentamera populifera) -
[no common name]
(Pentamera pseudocalcigera) -
[no common name]
(Pentamera rigida) -
[no common name]
(Pentamera sp) -
[no common name]
(Pentamera trachyplaca) -
[no common name]
(Pentidotea fewkesi) -
[no common name]
(Pentidotea sp) -
[no common name]
(Peramphithoe humeralis) -
[no common name]
(Peramphithoe sp) -
[no common name]
(Petaloclymene pacifica) -
[no common name]
(Petaloconchus compactus) -
[no common name]
(Petaloconchus sp) -
[no common name]
(Petaloproctus borealis) -
[no common name]
(Petaloproctus sp) -
[no common name]
(Petaloproctus tenuis) -
[no common name]
(Petricola carditoides) -
[no common name]
(Petrolisthes sp) -
[no common name]
(Pettiboneia pugettensis) -
[no common name]
(Phascolosoma agassizii) -
[no common name]
(Pherusa plumosa) -
[no common name]
(Pherusa sp) -
[no common name]
(Philine bakeri) -
[no common name]
(Philine sp) -
[no common name]
(Philomedes sp A) -
[no common name]
(Phlebobranchia) -
[no common name]
(Pholoe glabra) -
[no common name]
(Pholoe minuta) -
[no common name]
(Pholoe sp) -
[no common name]
(Pholoe sp Cmplx) -
[no common name]
(Pholoe sp N1) -
[no common name]
(Pholoides asperus) -
[no common name]
(Phoronida) -
[no common name]
(Phoronis sp) -
[no common name]
(Phoronopsis harmeri) -
[no common name]
(Phoronopsis sp) -
[no common name]
(Photis bifurcata)
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