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]
(Photis brevipes) -
[no common name]
(Photis lacia) -
[no common name]
(Photis macinerneyi) -
[no common name]
(Photis oligochaeta) -
[no common name]
(Photis parvidons) -
[no common name]
(Photis sp) -
[no common name]
(Photis spasskii) -
[no common name]
(Phoxichilidium femoratum) -
[no common name]
(Phoxichilidium sp) -
[no common name]
(Phoxocephalidae) -
[no common name]
(Phyllaplysia taylori) -
[no common name]
(Phyllochaetopterus claparedii) -
[no common name]
(Phyllochaetopterus prolifica) -
[no common name]
(Phyllochaetopterus sp) -
[no common name]
(Phyllodoce citrina) -
[no common name]
(Phyllodoce cuspidata) -
[no common name]
(Phyllodoce groenlandica) -
[no common name]
(Phyllodoce hartmanae) -
[no common name]
(Phyllodoce longipes) -
[no common name]
(Phyllodoce maculata) -
[no common name]
(Phyllodoce medipapillata) -
[no common name]
(Phyllodoce mucosa) -
[no common name]
(Phyllodoce sp) -
[no common name]
(Phyllodoce williamsi) -
[no common name]
(Phyllodocidae) -
[no common name]
(Phyllophoridae) -
[no common name]
(Phylo felix) -
[no common name]
(Pilargis berkeleyae) -
[no common name]
(Pilargis maculata) -
[no common name]
(Pinnixa eburna) -
[no common name]
(Pinnixa occidentalis Cmplx) -
[no common name]
(Pinnixa schmitti) -
[no common name]
(Pinnixa sp) -
[no common name]
(Pinnixa tubicola) -
[no common name]
(Pinnotheridae) -
[no common name]
(Pionosyllis gigantea) -
[no common name]
(Pionosyllis magnifica) -
[no common name]
(Pionosyllis sp) -
[no common name]
(Pisaster sp) -
[no common name]
(Pisione sp) -
[no common name]
(Pista agassizi) -
[no common name]
(Pista brevibranchiata) -
[no common name]
(Pista elongata) -
[no common name]
(Pista estevanica) -
[no common name]
(Pista moorei) -
[no common name]
(Pista pacifica) -
[no common name]
(Pista sp) -
[no common name]
(Pista wui) -
[no common name]
(Platyhelminthes) -
[no common name]
(Platynereis bicanaliculata) -
[no common name]
(Platyodon sp) -
[no common name]
(Pleurogonium rubicundum) -
[no common name]
(Pleurogonium sp) -
[no common name]
(Pleusirus secorrus) -
[no common name]
(Pleustidae) -
[no common name]
(Pleusymtes sp) -
[no common name]
(Pleusymtes sp A) -
[no common name]
(Pleusymtes subglaber) -
[no common name]
(Plumularia setacea) -
[no common name]
(Plumularia sp) -
[no common name]
(Podarkeopsis glabrus) -
[no common name]
(Podarkeopsis perkinsi) -
[no common name]
(Podoceridae) -
[no common name]
(Podocerus cristatus) -
[no common name]
(Podocerus sp) -
[no common name]
(Podocopa) -
[no common name]
(Podocopida) -
[no common name]
(Poecilosclerida) -
[no common name]
(Poecilostomatoida) -
[no common name]
(Polinices sp) -
[no common name]
(Polycera sp) -
[no common name]
(Polycirrinae) -
[no common name]
(Polycirrus californicus) -
[no common name]
(Polycirrus sp) -
[no common name]
(Polycirrus sp A) -
[no common name]
(Polycirrus sp I) -
[no common name]
(Polycirrus sp III) -
[no common name]
(Polycirrus sp IV) -
[no common name]
(Polycirrus sp V) -
[no common name]
(Polycladida) -
[no common name]
(Polycystididae) -
[no common name]
(Polydora cf brevipalpa) -
[no common name]
(Polydora cornuta) -
[no common name]
(Polydora limicola) -
[no common name]
(Polydora sp) -
[no common name]
(Polydora spongicola) -
[no common name]
(Polydora websteri) -
[no common name]
(Polygireulima rutila) -
[no common name]
(Polygordius sp) -
[no common name]
(Polynoidae) -
[no common name]
(Polynoinae) -
[no common name]
(Polyplacophora) -
[no common name]
(Pontogeneia inermis) -
[no common name]
(Pontogeneia intermedia) -
[no common name]
(Pontogeneia rostrata) -
[no common name]
(Pontoporeia femorata) -
[no common name]
(Porcellanidae) -
[no common name]
(Porcellidium sp) -
[no common name]
(Porella concinna) -
[no common name]
(Porifera)
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