Anacortes

Skagit Co., WA

Site Description:

Anacortes is on the north side of Fidalgo Island, separated from the mainland by a narrow channel. Our rocky beach
data is from the northwest corner of the island between Shannon Point and the ferry terminal. Here it is rocky with
medium cobble to small boulders which sit over soft bedrock. A rock reef is exposed at extreme low tide. There are also a few small sand pockets along the beach and some have eelgrass present. The rocks are usually covered with several types of algae. Our sand/mud beach data is from the east side of Anacortes along the shores of Fidalgo Bay. There is cobble and some small boulders along the upper portion of the beach and sandy mud below. Our data comes from both sides of the bay.

Google Map

west of ferry terminal

Fidalgo Bay

Species List:

Following is a list of mollusk species observed at this location by members and associates of the club. This is by no means a complete list of the species which may occur at this site. Revisions and additions to the data are made as we acquire new information. When a site contains more than one very distinctive type of habitat or if multiple sites were included in a single location, then a species list for each is included.
We indicate frequency of occurrence based on our observations. This is an indicator of how likely it is that you may be able to find this species yourself and is not a formal population survey.

Frequency Code: (Based on the assumption that you are looking in the appropriate location where the species
likes to live - on rocks, in sand, etc. Some populations fluctuate seasonally. Ours are based
on the spring/summer seasons.)
[4] - Rare - very difficult to find, maybe only a couple found after repeated visits to the site
[3] - Uncommon - difficult to find, may not see on every trip but dedicated searching may turn up a few
[2] - Common - easy to find, should locate a number of them on any given day
[1] - Abundant - very easy to find, large numbers should be seen on every trip

Data is all intertidal unless noted.

Rocky Beach - west of ferry terminal

Bivalves
Chlamys hastata [4] (juveniles)
Clinocardium nuttallii [2]
Crassadoma gigantea [3]
Entodesma navicula [4]
Hiatella arctica [4]
Keenocardium blandum [4] (usually only found subtidally,
found here intertidally on one occasion)
?Kurtiella tumida [4]
Leukoma staminea [2]
Macoma inquinata [3]
Magallana gigas [4]
Modiolus modiolus [4]
Mytilus complex [3]
Nutricola lordi [4]
Pododesmus macrochisma [3]
Saxidomus gigantea [2]
Solen sicarius [4]
Tellina modesta [4]
Tresus capax [3]
Tresus nuttallii [4]
Zirfaea pilsbryi [3] - siphons

Gastropods
Acmaea mitra [4]
Alia carinata [1]
Alvania compacta [4]
Amphissa columbiana [3]
Calliostoma ligatum [3]
Calyptraea fastigiata [4]
Ceratostoma foliatum [4]
Cerithiopsis sp. [4]
Crepidula sp. [3]
Crepipatella lingulata [4]
Cryptonatica aleutica [4] (observed only subtidally)
Diodora aspera [3]
Fusitriton oregonensis [4] (observed only subtidally)
Lacuna variegata [4]
Lacuna vincta [2]
Lepeta concentrica [4]
Lirobittium attenuatum [4]
Lirularia lirulata [4]
Littorina scutulata [1]
Littorina sitkana [1]
Lottia digitalis [2]
Lottia pelta [1]
Lottia persona [2]
Lottia aff. rosacea [4]
Lottia scutum [2]
Margarites pupillus [3]
Neostylidium eschrichtii [4]
Neptunea lyrata [4] (not seen recently)
Nucella lamellosa [2]
Nucella ostrina [2]
"Odostomia" tenuisculpta [4]
Paciocinebrina interfossa [4]
Paciocinebrina lurida [4]
Turbonilla sp. [4]

Nudibranchs/Sea slugs
Acanthodoris nanaimoensis [4] (observed only subtidally)
Antiopella fusca [4]
Armina californica [4] (observed only subtidally)
Cadlina luteomarginata [4] (observed only subtidally)
Diaulula odonoghuei [3] (observed only subtidally)
Dendronotus robilliardi [4] (observed only subtidally)
Doris montereyensis [4]
Doris odhneri [4] (observed only subtidally)
Hermissenda crassicornis [4] (observed only subtidally)
Limacia cockerelli [4]
Triopha catalinae [4]

Chitons
Cryptochiton stelleri [2]
Cyanoplax dentiens [4]
Dendrochiton flectens [4]
Katharina tunicata [4]
Lepidozona mertensii [3]
Leptochiton cf. rugatus [4]
Mopalia egretta [4] (observed only subtidally)
Mopalia hindsii [4]
Mopalia kennerleyi [3]
Mopalia lignosa [3]
Mopalia muscosa [3]
Mopalia spectabilis [4]
Mopalia swanii [3]
Mopalia vespertina [3]
Tonicella lineata [2]
Tonicella cf. ndocaerulea [4]

Cephalopods
Enteroctopus dofleini [4] (octopus in den has been
observed intertidally at extreme low tides)

Sand/Mud Beach - Fidalgo Bay

Bivalves
Clinocardium nuttallii [2]
Leukoma staminea [2]
Macoma balthica [4]
Macoma inquinata [3]
Macoma nasuta [3]
Magallana gigas [4]
Mya arenaria [3]
Mytilus complex [4]
Nutricola tantilla [4]
Nuttallia obscurata [3]
Pododesmus macrochisma [4]
Saxidomus gigantea [4]
Solen sicarius [4]
Tresus capax [3]
Tresus nuttallii [4]
Venerupis philippinarum [2]

Gastropods
Alvania compacta [4]
Batillaria attramentaria [1-at south end]
Lacuna variegata [4]
Littorina scutulata [2]
Littorina sitkana [4]
Lottia digitalis [4]
Lottia pelta [2]
Lottia persona [3]
Lottia scutum [4]
Nassarius fraterculus [4]
Neostylidium eschrichtii [4]
Nucella canaliculata [4]
Nucella lamellosa [4]
"Odostomia" tenuisculpta [4]

Nudibranchs/Sea slugs
Haminoea vesicula [3]

Chitons
Cyanoplax dentiens [4]
Mopalia lignosa [4]
Mopalia muscosa [4]