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MADE IN PUGET SOUND
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Animal Identification

'We’ve sacrificed too much nature during our lifetime'

The first and most important part of conserving our delicate underwater wildlife is identifying our wildlife. Made In Puget Sound works very hard to bring the rarely seen and nearly impossible to explore underwater world into classrooms, labs, and homes for all to see. Our researchers and marine biologists continually explore our local waters in ways never before attempted. Our divers and drones go to places that researchers were unable to visit even a decade ago. 

Sacrificing nature comes at steep cost. Continual population growth brings increasing traffic, pollution, and loss of habitat. Salmon populations and runs are down over 90% in less than 100 years. Southern Resident Orca numbers are falling every year. Octopus, crab species, fishes and so many more are declining in numbers every year. Scientists, biologists, and researchers need the important we are providing. 

Below is our growing catalog of many species found in our cold, green Puget Sound waters. We are continually adding more plants and animals to this list. We welcome other local explorers to get involved as well. 

All images below were shot with Canon R5 mirrorless camera in Puget Sound and Hood Canal.
​No animals were touched, moved, staged or harmed.

Nudibranchs, Octopus, Chitons, Bivalves

Most of the animals in these categories are small, usually in shallow water, many have a hard outer shell and a radula (tongue) for scraping the surface to get their food. Nudibranchs do not have eyes. They have a rhinophores with special receptors at the front end of their bodies. When they sense danger, the rhinophores are withdrawn for safety.
Nudibranchs
There are over eighty nudibranchs in Puget Sound. This includes dorids, triophas, aeolids, and many more. All of these animals have soft underbelly They also have two or four rhinophores. This chemosensory may be pointed, rounded, club-shaped, rod-shaped, even ear-like composition, usually the most prominent part of the external head anatomy.
Heath's Dorid (Geitodoris heathi) May grow over 3 inches, and is sprinkled with black or brown specks
Heath's Dorid (Geitodoris heathi) May grow over 3 inches, and is sprinkled with black or brown specks
Diamondback Nudibranch (Tritonia festiva) May grow over 4 inches and have a very intricate pattern along their back.
Naniamo Nudibranch (Acanthodoris nanaimoensis). They can grow to almost 2 inches, and have very distinctive white colouration sometimes with maroon-tipped rhinophores and gills.
Naniamo Nudibranch (Acanthodoris nanaimoensis). They can grow to almost 2 inches, and have very distinctive white colouration sometimes with maroon-tipped rhinophores and gills.
Cockerall's Nudibranch (Limacia cockerelli). These tiny creatures have long bulbous papillae as its gills.
Opalescent Nudibranch (Hermissenda opalescens)
Opalescent Nudibranch (Hermissenda opalescens). Can grow to almost 4 inches. It has a very pronounced stripe between its rhinophores.
Opalescent Nudibranch (Hermissenda opalescens)
Alabaster Nudibranch (Dirona albolineata) or Frosted can grow to 7 inches long. The cirri will become more pronounced after eating and will shrink and fade as its food is digested.
Clown Nudibranch (Triopha catalinae). Can grow to 7 inches,
Leopard Dorid )Diaulula sandiegensis) May grow up to 5 inches, and may have a few to many brown spots.
Three-lined Nudibranch (Flabellina trilineata). Usually very small, this nudibranch may grow to a few inches. It has three distinguishable sections of gills.
Three-lined Nudibranch (Flabellina trilineata). Usually very small, this nudibranch may grow to a few inches. It has three distinguishable sections of gills.
Three-lined Nudibranch (Flabellina trilineata). Usually very small, this nudibranch may grow to a few inches. It has three distinguishable sections of gills.
Shagrug Nudibranch (Aeolid papillosa). May grow to 4 inches and stores its preys unreleased stinging cells into its own cirri or gills.
White-and-orange-tipped nudibranch (Janolus fuscus).
Hooded Nudibranch (Melibe leonina). Rather rare, this nudibranch can actually detach from kelp or eelgrass and swim to another spot.
Hooded Nudibranch (Melibe leonina). Rather rare, this nudibranch can actually detach from kelp or eelgrass and swim to another spot.
Barnacle-eating Nudibranch Onchidoris bilamellata (Onchidoris bilamellata)
Multicolor Dendronotid (Dendronotus diversicolor)
Giant Nudibranch (Dendronotus iris)
Noble Sea Lemon Nudibranch (Anisodoris nobilis)
Red Gilled Nudibranch (Flabellina verrucosa).jpg

Octopuses
Puget Sound is home to three varieties of Octopuses. The Giant Pacific Octopus, the Pacific Red Octopus and the Smooth-skin. The third lives in very deep waters and is rarely ever seen. Octopuses (not octopi) have three hearts, blue blood, are very curious and solitary. They only live to about three or four years at most, and die after mating.
Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini)
Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini)
Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini)
Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini)
Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini)
Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini)
Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini)
Pacific Red Octopus (Octopus rubescens)
Pacific Red Octopus (Octopus rubescens)
Pacific Red Octopus (Octopus rubescens)
Pacific Red Octopus (Octopus rubescens)
Pacific Red Octopus (Octopus rubescens)
Pacific Red Octopus (Octopus rubescens)
Pacific Red Octopus (Octopus rubescens)
Pacific Red Octopus (Octopus rubescens)
Pacific Red Octopus (Octopus rubescens)

Shrimps, Crabs, Sea Spiders, Barnacles, Sea Spiders

Giant Sea Spider (Nymphon pixellae)
Giant Sea Spider (Nymphon pixellae)
Giant Sea Spider (Nymphon pixellae)
Giant Sea Spider (Nymphon pixellae)
Widehand Hermit (Elassochirus tenuimanus)
Helmet Crab (Cryptolithodes sitchensis)
Northern Kelp Crab (Pugettia producta)
Rhinoceros Crab (Rhinolithodes wosnessenskii)
Rhinoceros Crab (Rhinolithodes wosnessenskii)

Sea Stars, Brittle Stars, Feather Stars, Urchins


Vertabrates

Vertebrates have a skeletal structure with a spinal column - backbone. Invertebrates do not have a backbone. Vertebrates also have a well-developed internal skeleton of cartilage and bone and a highly developed brain that is enclosed by a skull. In our waters they can range in size from tiny to very large.
Sculpins
Roughback Sculpin (Chitonotus pugetensis)
Scalyhead Sculpin (Artedius harringtoni)
Sailfin Sculpin (Nautichthys oculofasciatus)
Sailfin Sculpin (Nautichthys oculofasciatus)
Smoothhead Sculpin (Artedius lateralis)
Padded Sculpin (Artedius fenestralis)
Scalyhead Sculpin (Artedius harringtoni)
Mosshead Warbonnet (Chirolophis nugator)

Pacific Spiny Lumpsuckers


Wolf eels, Warbonnets, Gunnels and others

Sea Stars, Sea Urchins, Sand Dollars, Feather Dusters

These animals are any member of the phylum Echinodermata of marine animals. The adults are recognizable by their radial symmetry, and include  sea stars, sea urchins, sand dollars, sea cucumbers, and others. 
Sand Dollar (Dendraster excentricus)


Jellyfish, Wolf eel, etc.

Grunt Sculpin (Rhamphocottus richardsonii)
Pink-mouth Hydroid (Ectopleura marina)
Pacific Tomcod (Microgadus proximus)
Widehand Hermit (Elassochirus tenuimanus)
Wolf eel (Anarrhichthys ocellatus)
Longfin Sculpin (Jordania zonope) copy
Rhinoceros Crab (Rhinolithodes wosnessenskii)
White-Ringed Ribbon Worm (Tubulanus albocinctus)
Mosshead Warbonnet (Chirolophis decoratus)
Swimming Scallops (Chlamys hastata)
Brown Irish Lord (Hemilepidotus spinosus)
Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini)
Slime Star (Pteraster tesselatus)
Heart Crab (Phyllolithodes papillosus)
Bering Hermit (Pagurus beringanus)
Wolf eel (Anarrhichthys ocellatus)
Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini)
Heath's Dorid (Geitodoris heathi)
Swimming Scallop (Chlamys hastata)

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  • Home
  • About
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff and Advisors
  • Our Work
    • Research >
      • Animal ID
    • Education
    • Conservation >
      • 4K Videos
      • 4K Video Shorts
      • HD Videos
      • Tropical Wildlife >
        • Bahamas_2020
        • Sea_of_Cortez_2019
        • Solomons_2019
        • Maldives_2018
        • Isla_Guadalupe_2017
        • Sea_of_Cortez_2017
        • Channel_Islands_2015
        • Cabo_2015
        • Sea_of_Cortez_2014
        • Socorros_2013
        • Catalina_2013
  • Blog
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
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  • Contributions