California Tidepool Terminology

I want to be really good at ID'ing species in California Tidepools

Echinoderm

Body divided into five sections, tube feet, hard-spiny covering. (Invertebrate)

Arthropod

Jointed legs, segmented bodies, hard exoskeleton. (Invertebrate)

Mollusks

Soft body, enclosed by one shell, two shells or possessing no shell. Usually has gills and feet, with certain species possessing multiple legs. (Invertebrate)

Coelenterates

Stinging cells. Soft, saclike body for ingesting food and eliminating waste. (Invertebrate)

Fish

Gills for breathing, fins, and usually scales. Ability to swim fast. (Vertebrate)

Glue-like Threads

Produced by the body. Allow animal to stick to rocks and withstand wave shock

Tube Feet

Allows animal to stick tightly to rocks, thus protecting against wave shock. Also gives animal movement into and out of water, which protects against dehydration. Feet are also able to pass food to the mouth in certain species. They are also used by some species to break open the shells of other animals and digest them.

Hard Shells

Protects against predators and wave shock. Helps to store water and prevent dehydration.

Stinging Tentacles

Used to catch and eat other tidepool animals by stinging and immobilizing them.

Seal Openings

Operates like a trapdoor and allows animal to retain body moisture within the shell to prevent dehydration.

Multiple Jointed Arms/Legs

Allows animal to escape wave shock, avoid dehydration, salinity and temperature extremes. Enables animals to escape predators and catch prey.

Camouflage Coloration

Enables animal to hide from and escape predators.

Rapid Movement

Allows animal to catch prey and escape predators.

Sharp Spines

Provides protection against predators and enables animal to burrow into rock as a protection against wave shock.

Body Part Regrowth

Enables animal to survive attacks by predators and also wave shock.

Filter Feeding

Allows stationary animals to trap and eat plankton by filtering water through gills.

Jointed Claws

Used for feeding and protection.

Ink-cloud Emission

Used by animal to confuse and distract predators.

Eviceration

The throwing up by an animal of its digestive system. This serves to distract and repulse predators.

Different Tides

Splash Zone, Mid-Tide Zone, Low-Tide Zone, Subtidal Zone, High Tide Zone

Splash Zone

the region between water and air, where tidal changes occur and waves hit the structure

Mid-Tide Zone

a subzone within the intertidal zone, located between the high and low intertidal zones

Low-Tide Zone

The low tide zone is only exposed during low tide and has the greatest biodiversity of the three zones because it provides more favorable conditions for those organisms that cannot tolerate air exposure for long

Subtidal Zone

remains submerged except during particularly low tides and is often inhabited by species of seaweeds and crustaceans

High Tide Zone

Located at the uppermost part, it receives occasional splashes from high tides. Here, you'll find barnacles, limpets, chitons, crabs, and mussels