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Marine Invertebrates 17 images Created 20 Feb 2015

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  • One of the many unusual and unique marine invertebrates of the Pacific Northwest, the mossy chiton is a nocturnal hunter of the intertidal zones of the rocky coastline. Recently, biologists have discovered that because they are sometimes above water, and sometimes underwater, their very primitive mineralized eyes have evolved in such a way that they can actually see images, and when they detect a predator coming close, they can react quickly and tighten their muscles, securing themselves to a rock or other hard surface, leaving them protected under their eight-pieced plated shells. This one was found high and dry at low tide near Neah Bay, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula.
    Mossy Chiton
  • These common native mussels are found along the North America's West Coast from Alaska to Baja California in Mexico, and are found in massive colonies on the rocky coastline, often easily seen at low tide above the waterline. Archeological evidence shows these edible mollusks have been an important food source to humans for the past 12,000 years or more. These barnacle-covered mussels were found at low tide on Crescent Beach on Northern Oregon's Pacific Coast.
    California Mussels
  • Despite it not actually being a crab, the completely harmless Atlantic horseshoe crab is an ancient marine arthropod more closely related to spiders and scorpions. Extremely common in Florida, this big female was in the shallows on the northern Gulf of Mexico on Bald Point, just outside of Ochlockonee Bay.
    Atlantic Horseshoe Crab
  • This beautiful coldwater-loving anemone is a shocking green color and is found along the Pacific Northwest Coast along the intertidal zone to about 15' deep.  These were found on a rock at low tide and photographed through still water on Oregon's Northern coastline at low tide at Hug Point.
    Giant Green Anemone
  • Also sometimes called the purple sea star, this very common sea star and tide pool favorite is found all along the Pacific Northwest's rocky coastline. Ranging from bright orange to deep purple, they can reach a size of 16 inches, and live 20 years or more! This one was seen under a few inches of water in a tide pool on Cannon Beach, Oregon.
    Ochre Sea Star
  • This colony of aggregating anemones were found at low tide in Northern Oregon attached to the underside a large rock just north of Cannon Beach. These were photographed from above-water, and some distortion resulted. Above the water-line, they retract their feeding tentacles and aren't so beautiful as they are underwater. Notice the larger green anemones deeper in the water - they are a related, yet separate species.
    Aggregating Anemone Colony
  • This curious Pacific coast chiton is a nocturnal hunter that returns to the same rock after a night of hunting for algae along the intertidal zones of the Pacific Northwest. Often exposed during low tide, they are sometimes so fluorescent that they are known to glow in the dark and flash pink polka dots.
    Mossy Chiton
  • These beautiful coldwater-loving anemones are a shocking green color and are found along the Pacific Northwest Coast along the intertidal zone to about 15' deep.  These were found on a rock at low tide and photographed through still water on Oregon's Northern coastline at low tide at Hug Point.
    Giant Green Anemones
  • One of the many unusual and unique marine invertebrates of the Pacific Northwest, the mossy chiton is a nocturnal hunter of the intertidal zones of the rocky coastline. Recently, biologists have discovered that because they are sometimes above water, and sometimes underwater, their very primitive mineralized eyes have evolved in such a way that they can actually see images, and when they detect a predator coming close, they can react quickly and tighten their muscles, securing themselves to a rock or other hard surface, leaving them protected under their eight-pieced plated shells. This one was found high and dry at low tide near Neah Bay, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula.
    Mossy Chiton
  • One of the many unusual and unique marine invertebrates of the Pacific Northwest, the mossy chiton is a nocturnal hunter of the intertidal zones of the rocky coastline. Recently, biologists have discovered that because they are sometimes above water, and sometimes underwater, their very primitive mineralized eyes have evolved in such a way that they can actually see images, and when they detect a predator coming close, they can react quickly and tighten their muscles, securing themselves to a rock or other hard surface, leaving them protected under their eight-pieced plated shells. This one was found on the sand above the surf line at low tide near Neah Bay, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula.
    Mossy Chiton
  • This beautiful coldwater-loving anemone is a shocking green color and is found along the Pacific Northwest Coast along the intertidal zone to about 15' deep.  These were found on a rock at low tide and photographed through still water on Oregon's Northern coastline at low tide at Hug Point.
    Giant Green Anemone
  • The Pacific goose barnacle is a very common find from Alaska to Baja California in Mexico, most often found attached to rocks on North America's Pacific coastline at low tide. While they may be filter feeders that will feed both plant and animal plankton that happen to drift too close to them, they  themselves are prey to gulls, oystercatchers, and multiple species of starfish. These were photographed at low tide on the Oregon coast at Hug Point.
    Pacific Goose Barnacles
  • This beautiful coldwater-loving anemone is a shocking green color and is found along the Pacific Northwest Coast along the intertidal zone to about 15' deep.  These were found on a rock at low tide and photographed on Oregon's Northern coastline at low tide as they closed up while the tide receeded on Crescent Beach.
    Giant Green Anemones at Low Tide
  • This beautiful coldwater-loving anemone is a shocking green color and is found along the Pacific Northwest Coast along the intertidal zone to about 15' deep.  These were found on a rock at low tide and photographed through still water on Oregon's Northern coastline at low tide at Hug Point.
    Giant Green Anemone
  • One of the many unusual and unique marine invertebrates of the Pacific Northwest, the mossy chiton is a nocturnal hunter of the intertidal zones of the rocky coastline. Recently, biologists have discovered that because they are sometimes above water, and sometimes underwater, their very primitive mineralized eyes have evolved in such a way that they can actually see images, and when they detect a predator coming close, they can react quickly and tighten their muscles, securing themselves to a rock or other hard surface, leaving them protected under their eight-pieced plated shells. This one was found just under the water's surface in a tide pool near Neah Bay, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula.
    Mossy Chiton
  • Also sometimes called the purple sea star, this very common sea star and tidepool favorite is found all along the Pacific Northwest's rocky coastline. Ranging from bright orange to deep purple, they can reach a size of 16 inches, and live 20 years or more! These were spotted in a tidepool on Cannon Beach, Oregon.
    Ochre Sea Stars
  • One of the many unusual and unique marine invertebrates of the Pacific Northwest, the mossy chiton is a nocturnal hunter of the intertidal zones of the rocky coastline. Recently, biologists have discovered that because they are sometimes above water, and sometimes underwater, their very primitive mineralized eyes have evolved in such a way that they can actually see images, and when they detect a predator coming close, they can react quickly and tighten their muscles, securing themselves to a rock or other hard surface, leaving them protected under their eight-pieced plated shells. This one was found just under the water's surface in a tide pool near Neah Bay, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula.
    Mossy Chiton