plant/animal reference) to get a bigger picture
Partridge Point team photo 2010 |
Team at work-Partridge Point |
Burrowing sea cucumber |
Tiny clingfish |
Probable Mopalia sp. |
Suberities sp. |
Blood star |
Halichondria |
After the cold windy conditions encountered monitoring Rosario Beach, the Partridge Point team was relieved the next day to find that the weather was considerably improved. In fact, it was downright nice as the team of six surveyed that very diverse rocky, high energy west Whidbey beach. They found four species of encrusting sponge (breadcrumb, purple, red, and Suberites), two species of sea stars (blood star and sunflower star), and a nifty large green and gray shrimp. It was unusual that no Leptasterias (six-rayed) sea stars were seen as that species has been a common find on this beach in previous years. Large numbers of little brown barnacles (Cthamalus dalli) were observed on the high intertidal erratic at the start of the profile line and further down, team members were delighted to find numerous tiny northern clingfish (Gobiesox maeandricus) among the kelp. Two unusual finds were those of a small white burrowing sea cucumber of the genus Leptosynaptas and a brightly colored chiton thought to be one of the Mopalias.
Acrosiphonia |
Plocamium |
Sea laurel |
Bossiella |
As the tide reached its lowest point (-2.7 feet), an amazing assortment of seaweed was revealed including Osmundia spectabilis (sea laurel), Plocamium sp. (sea comb), Alaria marginata (winged kelp), Egregia menziesii (feather boa kelp), Nereocystis luetkeana (bull kelp), upright and encrusting red coralline algae, and Acrosiphonia sp. (green rope). In addition the seagrass Phyllospadix grew from low intertidal boulders.