La Push

Clallam Co., WA

Site Description:       

La Push is on the west coast of the Olympic Peninsula facing the Pacific Ocean.  For this location we are referring to a 5 mile section of beach centered on La Push, which is toward the northwest side of the Peninsula.  This area is part of the Olympic National Park and also the Quillayute Needles National Wildlife Refuge.  The beaches along here are typical coastal beaches consisting mostly of gravel with sand exposed at low tide.  There are also large outcroppings of rock jutting into the water at intervals along the beach.  As with all ocean beaches, be aware of incoming tides which can trap you on the wrong side of these headlands.  Rialto Beach runs north of the river mouth.  Walk one and a half miles north up the beach to reach Hole-in-the-Wall, with large rock outcroppings and tide pools.  The majority of our data is from this section.

Google Map
 

 Rialto Beach


Hole-in-the-Wall

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.


     Bivalves
Adula californiensis  [4]
Kellia suborbicularis  [4]
Leukoma staminea  [4]
Macoma inquinata  [4]
Mytilus californiensis  [1]
Mytilus complex  [1]
Penitella penita  [3]
Petricola carditoides  [3]
Saxidomus gigantea  [4]
Tresus capax  [4]
Zirfaea pilsbryi  [4]
 
     Gastropods
Alia carinata  [4]
Amphissa columbiana  [3]

Ceratostoma foliatum  [4]
Diodora aspera  [4]
Lirabuccinum dirum  [4]
Littorina scutulata  [2]

Littorina sitkana  [4]
Lottia digitalis  [2]
Lottia fenestrata  [2]
Lottia pelta  [2]
Lottia persona  [3]
Margarites pupillus  [4]
Nucella canaliculata  [4]
Nucella lamellosa  [2]
Nucella ostrina  [2]
Opalia wroblewskyi
 [4]
Tegula funebralis  [2]

     Nudibranchs
Antiopella fusca  [4]
Diaulula odonoghuei  [4]
Doris montereyensis  [4]
Hermissenda crassicornis  [4]


     Chitons
Cyanoplax dentiens  [4]
Katharina tunicata  [4]
Mopalia hindsii  [3]
Mopalia lignosa  [3]
Tonicella lineata  [4]

     Cephalopods
Octopus rubescens  [4]
 
    

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This page last revised: 6-14-2019