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Updated 2/20/2013

Marine Invertebrates of Southern California

Red Sponge

Ophlitaspongia pennata

     

Feathery Hydroid

 

Stalked Hydroid

Pinauay crocea

Yellow  Hydroid

Symplectoscyphus turgidus

Purple Jellyfish

Chrysaora colorata 

Purple Jellyfish

Chrysora colorata

 

Siphonophore

Apolemia uvaria

White Sea Pen

Stylatula elongata

Octocoral

Clavularia sp.

Aggregating Anemone

Anthopleura elegantissima

Solitary Anemone

Anthopleura sola

Strawberry Anemone

Corynactis californica

Tube Anemone

Pachycerianthus fimbriatus

Brown Anemones

Aiptasia pulchella

Sand Anemone

Phyllactis sp.

Sand Anemone

Phyllactis sp.

Orange Gorgonian

Adelogorgia phyllosclera

Orange Gorgonian

Adelogorgia phyllosclera

Golden Gorgonian

Muricea californica

Golden Gorgonian

Muricea californica

Brown Gorgonian

Muricea fruticosa

Brown Gorgonian

Muricea fruticosa

Red Gorgonian

Lophogorgia chilensis

Red Gorgonian

Lophogorgia chilensis

Yellow Zoanthid

Parazoanthus lucificum

Yellow Zoanthid

Parazoanthus lucificum

Orange Zoanthid

Epizoanthus giveni

Brown Zoanthid

Epizoanthus scotinus

Brown Cup Coral

Paracyathus stearnsi

Colonial Cup Coral

Coenocyathus bowersi

Colonial Cup Coral

Coenocyathus bowersi

 

Brown Sabellid

Myxicola infundibulum

Tube Worm

Thelepus crispus

Tube Worm

 

Scale Worm

 Arctonoe pulchra
 

Christmas Tree Worm

Spirobranchus spinosus 

Serpulid Worms

Serpula vermicularis

 

Golden Phoronid

Phoronopsis californica

White Phoronid

Phoronis ijimai 

Flat Bryozoans

Membranipora spp.

Fluted Bryozoan

Hippodiplosia insculpta

Knobby Bryozoan

Costazia costazi

Lightbulb Tunicate

Clavelina huntsmani

Colonial Tunicates

Metandrocarpa taylori

Compound Tunicates

Didemnum carnulentum

 

Mossy Chiton

Mopalia muscosa 

Chiton

 

Abalone

Haliotis sp. 

 

Giant Keyhole Limpet

Megathura crenulata

 

Norris' Top Snail

Norrisia norrisi

Wavy Turban Snail

Lithopoma undosum

Turban's Operculum

Lithopoma undosum

 

Scaled Worm Snail

Serpulorbis squamigerus

California Trivia

Trivia californica

Solander's Trivia

Trivia solandri

Chestnut Cowry

Cypraea spadicea 

Moon Snail Eggs

 Polinices lewisii

 

Lewis' Moon Snail

Polinices lewisii

Kellet's Whelk & Eggs

Kelletia kelletii 

Gem Murex

 Maxwellia gemma

Gem Murex & Eggs

 Maxwellia gemma

 

Leafy Hornmouth

Ceratostoma foliatum

 

Ida's Miter

Mitra idae

California Cone

Conus californicus 

Bubble Snail

Bulla ventricosa 

 

Giant Sea Hare

Aplysia vaccaria

 

Giant Sea Hare

Aplysia vaccaria

California Sea Hare

Aplysia californica

Apricot Slug

Berthellina engeli

Okenia sp.

 

Whitespotted Navanax

Navanax polyalphos

Navanax

Navanax inermis 

 
   

Nudibranch Eggs

Hudson's Dorid

Acanthodoris hudsoni 

Macfarland's Slug

Chromodoris macfarlandi

 

Noble Dorid & Eggs

Anisodoris nobilis 

   

Peltodoris sp.

 

Spanish Shawl

Flabellina iodinea

Trapania sp. 

Whitespotted Dorid

Doriopsilla albopunctata 

Christmas Slug

Janolus barbarensis

Three-lined Aeolid

Flabellina trilineata 

   

Cockle

 
 

Rock Scallop

Hinnites giganteus

 

Two-spot Octopus

Octopus bimaculatus

Red Octopus

Octopus rubescens 

   

Bat Stars

Patria miniata

Blood Star

Henricia laevigata

Fragile Star

Linckia columbiae

Rainbow Star

Astrometis sertulifera

Spiny Sand Star

Astropecten armatus

Giant Spiny Star

Pisaster giganteus

Giant Spiny Star

Pisaster giganteus

 
       

Black Urchin

Centrostephanus coronatus

Red Urchin

Strongylocentrotus franciscanus

Purple Urchin

Strongylocentrotus purpuratus

White Urchin

Lytechinus anamesus

White Urchins

Lytechinus anamesus

     

California Sea Cucumber

Parastichopus californicus

Warty Sea Cucumber

Parastichopus parvimensis

 

Black & Orange Sea Cucumber

Cucumaria salma

Black & Orange Sea Cucumber

Cucumaria salma

     

Banded Brittle Star

Spiny Brittle Star

Ophiothrix spiculata

   

Isopod

Acorn Barnacles

Balanus spp.

Red Barnacles

Tetraclita rubescens

Leaf Barnacles

Pollicipes polymerus

California Hermit

Phimochirus californiensis

Purple Globe Crab

Randallia ornata

Hemphill's Kelp Crab

Podochela hemphilli

Juvenile Moss Crab

Loxorhynchus crispatus

Sheep Crab

Loxorhynchus grandis

Striped Rock Crab

Pachygrapsus crassipes

Swimming Crab

Portunus xantusii

Lumpy Pear Crab

Pyromaia tuberculata

Yellow Crab

Cancer anthonyi

California Spiny Lobster

Panulirus interruptus

Peppermint Shrimp

Lysmata californica

Sand Shrimp

Farfantepenaeus californiensis