Critter of the Month

Critter of the Month gives a peek into the lives of Puget Sound’s least-known inhabitants – mud-dwelling invertebrates collected by the Marine Sediment Monitoring Team. Each month we feature a different species or group, giving information on identification, habitat, and life history.
Critter of the Month gives a peek into the lives of Puget Sound’s least-known inhabitants – mud-dwelling invertebrates collected by the Marine Sediment Monitoring Team. Each month we feature a different species or group, giving information on identification, habitat, and life history.

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We're over the moon for the moon snail
With its easily recognizable shell (the largest found on Puget Sound beaches), we are certainly over the moon for this month's critter: the Moon Snail.
Ring in the New Year with the black-eyed hermit crab
The black-eyed hermit is never far from home, because it carries it along. Hermit crabs find protection from predators inside empty snail shells.
Making a stink: the Pacific stinkworm
When disturbed, Travisia pupa, the stinkworm, as its name suggests, gives off a pungent odor similar to rotting garlic.
Sound-to-table? The sweet potato sea cucumber is a produce impersonator
With its smooth, plump body, this month’s critter bears a resemblance to items you might find in a grocery store. Meet Molpadia intermedia, the Sweet Potato Sea Cucumber.
Riddle me this: What is a glistenworm?
The glistenworm is a shell-less, footless mollusk that burrows into marine sediments by digging with the shield around its mouth.
The dumbbell worm is no dummy
The dumbbell worm is tiny, ranging from 15 to 20 millimeters long and about 5 millimeters wide. It belongs to class Polychaeta, within the phylum Annelida.
The cactus worm is on point and looking sharp
This month’s critter may look like a cross between a worm and a cactus, but it is actually neither.
The seed shrimp are more than meets the eye
This month we bring you an entire group of nifty little critters collectively known as the ostracods, or seed shrimp.
Shifting sands: The sand star is born to run
If you’ve ever been to an aquarium or explored a tide pool, then this Critter of the Month is no stranger to you!
The British Columbian Doto: Just another Northwest slug?
The Doto is a species of sea slug, also known as a nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod in the family Dotidae.