Intertidal Organisms
Intertidal Organisms
Mr. Rick's High School Ecology Pages
1. Brown seaweeds
Photosynthetic, multicellular algae. Color is not a very useful in distinguishing algae. Bull kelp is an annual growing to 24m (80ft) in one season. Rockweed growing on ... rocks have floating bladders. These are its sexual reproductive organs. There are over 500 species of "seaweeds" in BC.
2. Green and red seaweeds
3. Nudibranchs
Also called sea slugs, nudibranchs are mollusks. Creatures of the intertidal or subtidal zones, there are many species ranging from 3cm to 20cm (1 to 8 inches). These often colorful creatures sport a variety of projections or appendages. Eats sponges, anemones, worms, barnacles.
4. Sponges
Very simple colonial animals that are often overlooked. Species in this area encrust rock or shells and range in color from bright red, orange, purple, yellow-green to tan. Sponges filter food from the water coursing through their internal cavities.
5. Anemones
Anemones are usually found attached to rocks that have some accumulation of sand or shell bits. The most common anemone found in Island County is the pink-tipped anemone, with a green column & pink tentacles. The green coloring is due mainly to the green algae they eat.
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