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Phylum Echinodermata
Class Echinoidea: Sea Urchins and Sand Dollars
I dare you to tell me you need help identifying a helmet urchin.
Differentiated from the native D. paucispinum by bright blue lines along test of urchin, and relatively shorter spines. Differentiated from Echinothrix spp. by significantly longer, thinner spines.
[NON-NATIVE]
Color ranges from pink to red to black, and relatively small in size. Can be distinguished from the similarly sized/colored Echinometra oblonga by thinner spines, and more subtidal habitation.
Wide size range. Very visually similar to E. diadema, though slightly smaller. In Hawai‘i, tends to have distinct light and dark stripes along spines.
Wide size range. Very visually similar to E. calamaris. In Hawai‘i, tends to be uniformly dark - ranging from blue to black.
Class Ophiuroidea: Brittle Stars
Pied Brittle Star
pe‘a
Breviturma pica
Distinctive yellow spots/bands along legs.
Spiny Brittle Star
pe‘a
Ophiocoma erinaceus
Dark coloration with relatively large spines on legs.
Class Holothuroidea: Sea Cucumbers
White-spotted Sea Cucumber
loli
Actinopyga varians
Black Sea Cucumber
loli okuhi kuhi
Holothuria atra
Dark body, usually covered in a layer of sand.
Ashy Sea Cucumber
loli pua
Holothuria cinerascens
Can be found in varying shades of muted pink.
Difficult Sea Cucumber
loli
Holothuria difficilis
Edible Sea Cucumber
loli
Holothuria edulis
Distinguished by pink to reddish-purple body.
loli
Holothuria lineata
Stubborn Sea Cucumber
loli kaʻe
Holothuria pervicax
Dark and light leopard/striped pattern
Phylum Cnidaria
Class Anthozoa: Corals and Sea Anemones
Glass Anemone
Aiptasia pulchella
Hermit Crab Anemone
Calliactis polypus
Found on shells housing anemone crabs (Dardanus spp.).
[pictured: retracted]
Mann's Anemone
‘ōkole
Cladactella manni
Green Button Polyp
Palythoa mutuki
[pictured: retracted]
Cauliflower Coral
ko‘a
Pocillopora meandrina
Lobe Coral
pōhaku puna
Porites lobata
Phylum Arthropoda
Class Malacostraca: Crabs, Lobsters, Amphipods
Left-handed Hermit Crab
ʻōunauna, unauna
Calcinus laevimanus
Distinguished from other Calcinus spp. by a distinct white band at the bottom of each leg.
Hidden Hermit Crab
ʻōunauna, unauna
Calcinus latens
Distinguished from other Calcinus spp. by presence of a bright to dark purple band on its legs.
Painted Hermit Crab
ʻōunauna, unauna
Calcinus pictus
Distinguished from the closely-related Calcinus elegans by bright orange bands on legs instead of bright blue bands.
Seurat's Hermit Crab
ʻōunauna, unauna
Calcinus seurati
Distinguished from other Calcinus spp. by distinct white bands at the joint and bottom of each leg.
Zebra Hermit Crab
ʻōunauna, unauna
Clibanarius zebra
Pale Anemone Crab
ʻōunauna, unauna
Dardanus deformis
Thin-shelled Rock Crab
ʻaʻama
Grapsus tenuicrustatus
Pebble Crab
pāpaʻi
Leptodius sp.
Black tips on claws and pointed carapace.
Hairy-fingered Rock Crab
pāpaʻi
Pachygrapsus planifrons
Common Hairy Crab
pāpaʻi
Pilumnus vespertilio
Banded Coral Shrimp
ʻōpae-huna
Stenopus hispidus
Class Thecostraca: Barnacles
Hembel's Rock Barnacle
ʻōkohekohe
Euraphia hembeli
Pelagic Goose Barnacle
pī‘oe
Lepas anserifera
Purple Rock Barnacle
ʻōkohekohe
Nesochthamalus intertextus
Phylum Mollusca
Class Bivalvia: Clams, Oysters, Mussels
Hawaiian Mussel
nahawele
Brachidontes crebristriatus
Black Purse Shell
nahawele
Isognomon californicus
Class Gastropoda: Snails and Slugs
Granulated Drupe
maka‘awa
Arakawania granulata
[NON-NATIVE]
Black-foot ‘Opihi
‘opihi makaiaūli
Cellana exarata
Yellow-foot ‘Opihi
‘opihi ‘alinalina
Cellana sandwichensis
Hawaiian Snakehead Cowry
leho kupa, leho pūpe‘e lima
Cypraea caputophidii
The most common cowry in Hawai‘i.
Humpback Cowry
leho ahi, leho pa‘a, leho pouli
Cypraea mauritiana
Mulberry Drupe
makaloa
Drupa morum
Distinguished by bright purple coloration on the underside of the shell. Top of shell often heavily encrusted with coralline algae.
Dotted Periwinkle
‘ākōlea, pipipi-kōlea
Littoraria pintado
Black Nerite
pipipi-kai
Nerita picea
Hawaiian Turban
ʻālilea
Turbo sandwicensis
Lettered Miter
Strigatella litterata
[NON-NATIVE]
Variable Worm Snail
kio
Thylacodes variabilis
Phylum Annelida
Class Polychaeta: Bristle Worms
Fan Worm
kio poʻapoʻai
Acromegalomma sp.
[NON-NATIVE]
Feather Duster Worm
kio poʻapoʻai
Sabellastarte spectabilis
Sources
Hata, Les (1998). "Hawaiian Tidepool and Shallow Reef Identification". Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources, https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dar/files/2014/04/tidepool.pdf.
Hoover, J.P. (2006) Hawaiʻi's Sea Creatures: A Guide to Hawaiʻi's Marine Invertebrates, Revised Edition. Mutual Publishing.
Titcomb, M. (1978) "Native Use of Marine Invertebrates in Old Hawaii". Pacific Science. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/5094065.pdf.
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