Arthropods
Red Rock Crab
Red Rock Crab Author: Jhadel Lewis Scientific name: Cancer productus Size range: Males up to 200mm (7.8in), Females up to 168mm (6.6in) Identifying Features: These types of crabs are usually medium sized, with adults varying anywhere between 100-200mm wide. They...
Caligus sp.
Common Name: Sea louse (sea lice) Scientific name: Caligus spp. This is a genus of parasitic arthropods (copepod) that are ectoparasites that feed upon mucous secretions and epidermal tissues of host fishes. Plankton tow: Cadboro Bay, Victoria, British Columbia,...
Gammarid Amphipod
Gammarid Amphipod Photo by Samantha O’Keefe February 19, 2013 Plankton Tow Cadboro Bay, Victoria, British Columbia
Purple Shore Crab
Purple Shore Crab Scientific name: Hemigrapsus nudus Author: George Sleen Photos: George Sleen and D. Young Length: Male adult purple shore crabs typically grow to a width of 2.2 inches while females will grow to around 1.3 inches across Identification: The purple...
Yellow Shore Crab
Yellow Shore Crab Common names: Yellow Shore Crab, Green Shore Crab, Hairy Shore Crab, Bay Shore Crab, Mud-flat Crab Scientific name: Hemigrapsus oregonensis Author: Noah Stewart Photos by D. Young Identifying features: The yellow shore crab is characterized by...
Dungeness Crab
Dungeness Crab Authors: Duncan Bailey and Paul Guevarra Scientific name: Metacarcinus magister Size Range: The carapace width of the Dungeness Crab is typically under 20 cm (7.9 in), but can be up to 25 cm (9.8 in). Females can be up to 18 cm (7 in) wide....
Pygmy Rock Crab
Pygmy Rock Crab Author: Sam Mitchell-Joy Scientific name: Cancer oregonensis, Glebocarcinus oregonensis Common names: Pygmy Rock Crab, Oregon Cancer Crab, Hairy Cancer Crab Size range: A Pygmy Rock Crab can grow up to 5cm (2 inches) across its carapace. The males...
European Green Crab
European Green Crab Authors: Lilly Powell and Emma Hornell Scientific name: Carcinus maenas Size Range: The European Green Crab is commonly between 60mm long and 90mm wide but has been noted to grow up to 101mm wide in non-native areas such as British Columbia....
Northern Kelp Crab
Northern Kelp Crab Common name: Northern Kelp Crab, Shield-Backed Kelp Crab Scientific name: Pugettia producta Size range: Carapace 7.8-9.3 cm across, with differing appendage sizes Author: Ruby Wallace Photography: Thank you to Andy Murch for permission to use his...
Graceful Decorator Crab
The Graceful Decorator Crab By Maddi Larson Scientific name: Oregonia gracilis Common names: Graceful Decorator Crab, Slender Decorator Crab, Decorator Crab, and Spider Crab Size range: The Graceful Decorator Crab, measured across the carapace and including the...
Umbrella Crab
Umbrella Crab Authors: Fai &Vivian Scientific name: Cryptolithodes sitchensis Common name: Umbrella crab, Sitka crab or Turtle Crab Size Range: 5 – 10 cm (2.0 – 3.9in) Identifying Features The Umbrella Crab is a species of Lithoid crustacean native to...
Puget Sound King Crab
Puget Sound King Crab By Sarah Roberts and Julia Mitchell Common name: Puget Sound King Crab Scientific name: Echidnocerus cibarius (formerly Lopholithodes mandtii) Size range: up to 30 cm across carapace (11.8 inches) Identifying features: Puget Sound King Crabs...
Flat Porcelain Crab
Flat Porcelain Crab Author: Leo Looi Photos: Leo Looi & D. Young Scientific name: Petrolisthes cinctipes Size range: The carapace of the Flat Porcelain Crab is up to 2 cm (0.9in) across. Identifying Features: The Flat Porcelain Crab looks stocky and has...
Squat Lobster
Squat Lobster Author and Illustrator: Winifred Niedjalski Photos: Thank you to Andy Murch for the use of his Photos. Scientific name: Munida quadrispina Length: Squat Lobsters range in size from one inch to four inches. Their carapace reaches up to 2.6 inches long,...
Bering Hermit Crab
Author: Avria Chrystall & Joy Trinh-Day Scientific Name: Pagurus beringanus Size Range: Bering Hermit Crabs grow to about an average of 2.5 inches. (6.4 cm) Identifying Features: Bering hermit crabs have 10 legs, however some of them aren’t fully developed and...
Orange Hermit Crab
Orange Hermit Crab Author: Rachel Walker Scientific Name: Elassochirus gilli Common Name: Orange Hermit Crab Size Range: On average, the male orange hermit crab grows to 20.4mm in length. Identifying Features: The Orange Hermit Crab is most distinctly...
Phronima sedentaria
Phronima Sedentaria Scientific Name: Phronima sedentaria Author: Eduarda Ferro Braga Laurindo Correia Size Range: These are tiny creatures with sizes ranging from 1.2-4.2 cm (~0.5 to 1.7 inches). Life Expectancy: They live around one year. Identifying Features: ...
Opossum Shrimp
Opossum Shrimp Author: Jamie Lenihan Common Names: Mysid Shrimp, Opossum Shrimp Scientific name: (Order) Mysida Size range: 5-25mm long (mature length) Identifying Features: Mysida is an order of over 1000 species of similar shrimp-like crustaceans. The...
Spot Prawn
Spot Prawn Authors: Aidan McReynolds and Zack Schmit Common Names: Spot Prawn, Pacific Prawn Scientific Name: Pandalus platyceros Size Range: 15 to 22 cm in length at maturity Identifying Features: Spot prawn are usually 15-22 cm in length when fully matured, making...
Coonstripe Shrimp
Coonstripe Shrimp Author: Noah Spriggs and Zach Lansdell Common Names: Coon Stripe Shrimp, Dock Shrimp Scientific Name: Pandalus danae Stimpson, 1857 Size Range: Up to 14cm (about 6 inches) in length, 7.5 to 10cm average. Identifying Features: The Coonstripe...
Taylor Coastal Shrimp
Taylor Coastal Shrimp Author: Rubin Johnston Scientific Name: Heptacarpus taylori Size Range: The average length of adults is around 28mm (1.1 in) Identifying Features: Taylor Coastal Shrimp have a variety of colours, including red, brown, black, and green. Two things...
Rockweed Isopod
Rockweed Isopod Authors: Emma Hornell and Lilly Powell Common Names: Rockweed Isopod or Kelp Isopod Scientific Name: Idotea (Pentidotea) wosnesenskii Size Range: 4cm (1.6 inches) in Length Identifying features: Rockweed Isopods are related to terrestrial...
Western Sea Roach
Common name: Western Sea Roach, Rock louse Scientific name: Ligia occidentalis Size: To 2.5cm (1″) Author: Aina Saitoh Photos: D. Young The Western Sea Roach is an isopod within the subphylum Crustacea and phylum Arthropoda. Their bodies are flat and vary in colour...