Tag: Sea Slugs
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Sea-not-quite slugs: Trivia, Erato, and Allies
Over the past several months, I’ve taken a deep dive into marine gastropod taxonomy. Riveting, I know, but I find that the more I know about these creatures, the more interesting they become and the more likely I am to find them while tide pooling. Particularly, I’ve recently been interested in the superfamily Velutinoidea, more commonly…
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Two New Species of Nudibranch Described from California
Unlike my last new species post (April Fools, if you didn’t notice the date ;), these two new species are real, and they live right off the coast where many of us tide pool: Doto urak and Doto kwakwak. Neither of these species in the Doto family are very common and only have a few…
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Tide Pooling Log: Orange County Eelgrass beds Before Dawn
Most of my tide pooling as a kid was on rocky shores where it’s easy to spot animals and there is an abundance of life. But recently, I’ve been educating myself about sandy and muddy shores and finally got a chance to visit a sandy beach with sevearl eelgrass beds during an excellent low tide…
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Tide Pooling Log: Pre-Dawn Summer Low Tide in Orange County
Pre-dawn summer low tides are some of the best of the year in Southern California. You can avoid the crowds and the heat while getting the warm water summer species during an excellent low tide. I took advantage of several of the low tides in June this year. Check out this article from my trip…
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I Went to the Intertidal During a “High” Low Tide; Here’s What I Found
During the lowest of low daytime tides, you’ll find hordes of people at popular tide-pooling locations. Everyone knows that you have to visit during the lowest tides to see the best stuff, right? Well, kinda. For the intertidal enthusiast, visiting during the lowest tides is the only way you might see the rare low intertidal…
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California’s Forgotten Seahare: The Taylor’s Seahare
You know I love a cryptic species, the incredibly specialized that perfectly match their surroundings and are difficult to spot. The cryptic corambes are some of my favorite nudibranchs; the Taylor’s seahare, or zebra leaf slug, is one of my favorite seahares. Both the common names above are recognized for this species, along with a…
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The Hopkins Rose Nudibranch–That Bright Pink Sea Slug
If there’s one nudibranch that a beginner tide pooler in SoCal might notice, it’s the Hopkins rose nudibranch (Ceratodoris rosacea). A shot of bright pink among the many shades of green, blue, and brown, this moderately sized nudibranch is more likely to catch your attention than any other species. Hopkins rose are one of my…
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The Animals That Live In Shells
Phylum molcusca is one of the largest phyla in the animal kingdom— second only to arthropoda— and is made up of soft bodied invertebrates. The word mollusk traces its lineage to French and then to Latin to a word that means “soft.” It has over 100,000 known species, and likely has over 150,000 in total. It…
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Is Tide Pooling at Night Worth It?
If you’re only going to read this far, the answer is yes! With the right equipment and preparation, tide pooling at night is definitely worth it. If you’re still reading, I’ll give you a fuller explanation of what I mean. Tide pooling in the dark can be frightening and dangerous. Exploring the intertidal is not…
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Learn How to Find Nudibranchs: Spotting Challenge
Nudibranchs are some of the funnest animals to find at the tide pools. Not only do their bright colors and flamboyant patters make them excellent photo subjects, but their unique ecology and behavior also make them fun to watch. But let’s admit it: nudibranchs are hard to find. I’ve heard many tide poolers asking how…
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The Tidepooler is a blog focused on education and information about the tide pools and rocky shore environments along the coasts of the world’s oceans. With more understanding and enthusiasm, these important ecosystems can be sustainably explored for science, curiosity, and appreciation of their beauty.
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The Tide Is Out 