Humboldt State UniversityNatural History Museum

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Phylum Mollusca (soft body): Molluscs

The molluscs are characterized by soft bodies (though sometimes inside a hard shell) covered by a fleshy mantle.  The mobile molluscs are typically grazers; the sedentary ones are filter feeders.  However, even the mobile ones do not move very quickly and are therefore easy prey in the tidepool community.

Class Gastropoda (stomach-foot): Slugs, Snails, Limpets


Orange-tipped Nudibranch/Sea Clown 
(Triopha catalinae)

Nanaimo Nudibranch (Acanthodoris nanaimoensis)

Limpet (covered with algae, under the leg of a Pacific Blood Star)

Eggs sacs of the rock snail Nucella emarginata

Class Polyplacophora (many plates): Chitons


Mossy Chiton (Mopalia sp. or Nutalina sp.)

Gumboot Chiton (Cryptochiton stelleri)

Class Bivalvia (two valves/doors): Clams, Mussels


California Mussel (Mytilus californianus)



Tidepools of Humboldt County
Tidepool Echinoderms (Spiny skin): Sea Stars, Sea Urchins, Sand Dollars, Sea Cucumbers
Tidepool Arthropods (Joint-limbed): Crabs, Shrimp, Lobster, Isopods
this page: Tidepool Molluscs (Soft): Snails, Clams, Mussels, Chitons, Limpets
Other Tidepool Phyla: Cnidaria (Stinging), Annelida (Segmented worms)

Web page designed and written by Ari Kornfeld.
Photos courtesy of Ari Kornfeld, copyright © 1996-2001. All rights reserved.
Last modified 9 September 2001