Ammodytes hexapterus: Pacific Sand lance, (Needle fish) : forage fish of Metchosin’s shoreline

See this post on Sandlance on Taylor Beach: gf-sandlance-july1320154

sandlance

Image from the  presentation below

One of the unusual characteristics of sandlance  on Taylor Beach is that in less  thAN a minute after emerging from the sand after spawning, If they are not consumed by crows or gulls, then they will die. ( so far I have not found this reported in the literature?)

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Trachinoidea  (Bonaparte, 1832)
Genus: Ammodytes
Species: A. hexapteris
Binomial name Ammodytes hexapterus

Ramona de Graaf –2021 provides a good background on the importance of habitat for Forage Fish on our shores.

Metchosin Bioblitz 2011-2012 lists for Sector 7, Weir’s Beach to Taylor Beach Bluffs

PrintSector 7. Weirs and Taylor Beach Bluffs – A variety of cliff face, beach, estuary and rocky shores, with intertidal areas.

 Thanks to Kem Luther for providing the Metchosin Bioblitz Records for this Coastal Sector and to the individuals who examined the area on the day of the Bioblitz , in April, 2012

Species Common name Species-Group  sub-group
Acrosiphonia coalit Greenrope Algae  chlorophyta
Alaria marginata  brown algae Algae  paheophyta
Costaria costata Five-ribbed kelp Algae  phaeophyta
Cystoseira sp Bladder Leaf Alga phaeophyta
Enteromorpha intestinalis Tube weed Algae  chlorophyta
Fucus sp. Rockweed Algae  phaeophyta
Lithothamnion sp.  re encrusting Algae  rhodophyta
Mazaella sp. Iridescent red algae Algae  rhodophyta
Scytosiphon lomentaria Soda Straw Algae  phaeophyta
Stephanocystis geminata Algae  phaeophyta
Ulva lactuca Sea lettuce Algae  chlorophyta
Leucolepis acanthoneuron Palm tree moss Bryophyte Moss moist, rich site
Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus Cat’s paw moss Bryophyte Moss moist, rich site
Balanus crenatus Crenate barnacle Invertebrate Arthropod
Balanus glandula Acorn barnacle Invertebrate Arthropod
Cancer magister Dungeness crab Invertebrate Arthropod
Cancer productus Red rock crab Invertebrate Arthropod
Caprella sp. Skeleton shrimp Invertebrate Arthropod
Chromopleustes oculatus Black and White Sea Flea Invertebrate Arthropod
Chthamalus dalli Little brown barnacle Invertebrate Arthropod
Crangon alaskensis Northern Crangon Invertebrate Arthropod
Gnorimosphaeroma oregonense Stubby Isopod Invertebrate Arthropod
Hemigrapsus nudus Purple Shore Crab Invertebrate Arthropod
Heptacarpus spp Shrimp Invertebrate Arthropod
Idotea wosnesenskii Rockweed isopod Invertebrate Arthropod
Pagurus hirsutiusculus Hairy hermit crab Invertebrate Arthropod
Petrolisthes eriomerus Flattop crab Invertebrate Arthropod
Pugettia gracilis Graceful kelp crab Invertebrate Arthropod
Semibalanus cariosus Thatched barnacle Invertebrate Arthropod
Spirontocaris sp Shrimp Invertebrate Arthropod
Anthopleura elegantissima Aggregating anemone Invertebrate Cnidaria
Urticina crassicornis Painted Anemone Invertebrate Cnidaria
Evasterias troschelli Mottled Star Invertebrate Echinoderm
Pycnopodia helianthoides Sunflower Star Invertebrate Echinoderm
Clinocardium nuttallii Nuttall’s Cockle Invertebrate Mollusc
Littorina scutulata Checkered Periwinkle Invertebrate Mollusc
Littorina sitkana Sitka Periwinkle Invertebrate Mollusc
Lottia digitalis Finger limpet Invertebrate Mollusc
Lottia pelta Shield Limpet Invertebrate Mollusc
Macoma nasuta Bent-nose macoma Invertebrate Mollusc
Macoma secta White Sand Macoma Invertebrate Mollusc
Mopalia liignosa Woody Chiton Invertebrate Mollusc
Mopalia muscosa Mossy Chiton Invertebrate Mollusc
Mytilus  trossulus Pacific Blue Mussel Invertebrate Mollusc
Nucella lamellosa Wrinkled Dogwinkle Invertebrate Mollusc
Nucella ostrina Northern Striped Dog Winkle Invertebrate Mollusc
Nuttallia obscurata Dark Mahogany Clam Invertebrate Mollusc
Rostanga pulchra Red Nudibranch Invertebrate Mollusc
Tectura persona Mask Limpet Invertebrate Mollusc
Tectura
scutum
Shield limpet Invertebrate Mollusc
Tonicella lineata Lined Chiton Invertebrate Mollusc
Eudistylia vancouveri Feather duster worm Invertebrate Polychaete
Schizobranchia sp. Feather duster worm Invertebrate Polychaete
Thelepus sp Spaghetti worm Invertebrate Polychaete
Halichondria sp. Yellow encrusting sponge Invertebrate Porifera
Ophlitaspongia pennata Red Encrusting Sponge Invertebrate Porifera
Pyura haustor Warty Tunicate Invertebrate Tunicate tunicate, not in efauna
Peltigera aphthosa Rock lichen Lichen xeric (rock)
Pentagramma triangularis Goldenback fern Vascular plant Fern sub-xeric
Polystichum munitum Sword fern Vascular plant Fern scattered
Pteridium aquilinum Bracken fern Vascular plant Fern disturbed ground
Achillea millefolium yarrow Vascular plant Forb
Alyssum sp. Alyssum Vascular plant Forb
Ambrosia chamissonis Silver burr ragweed Vascular plant For adjacent to beach
Angelica sp. sea-watch? Vascular plant Forb
Aquilegia formosa Columbin Vascular plant Forb scattered
Brassica campestris Fieldnmustard Vascular plant Forb scatteredn
Cardamine oligosperma Few-seeded bitter-cress Vascular plant Forb mesic
Chenopodium album Lamb’s-quarters Vascular plant Forb open, disturbed area
Cirsium edule Edible thistle Vascular plant Forb toe slopes, exposed
Claytonia perfoliata Miner’s lettuce Vascular plant Forb sub-hygric
Epilobium angustifolium Fireweed Vascular plant Forb base of bluffs
Equisetum arvense Horsetail Vascular plant Forb sandy wet sites
Erodium cicutarium stork’s bill Vascular plant Forb
Galium aparine Cleavers (bedstraw) Vascular plant Forb toe of bluffs
Geranium molle dove’s foot geranium Vascular plant Forb
Geranium robertianum Herb-Robert Vascular plant Forb toe of bank
Geum macrophyllum Large-leaved avens Vascular plant Forb permesic
Heracleum maximum cow-parsnip Vascular plant Forb
Heuchera micrantha Small flowered alumroot Vascular plant Forb occasional
Hyacinthoides sp. bluebells Vascular plant Forb
Hyacinthus orientalis Hyacinth Vascular plant Forb escaped
exotic
Hypochaeris radicata Hairy catsear Vascular plant Forb mesic
Lamium purpureum purple dead nettle Vascular plant Forb
Lathyrus japonicus Beach pea Vascular plant Forb open toe slope, adj. to beach
Linnaea borealis Twinflower Vascular plant Forb shaded forest
Lithophragma parviflorum Small-flowered woodland star Vascular plant Forb occasional
Lysichiton americanus Skunk cabbage Vascular plant Forb on Garry Fletcher’sr’s prop.
Maianthemum  dilatatum False lily of the valley Vascular plant Forb on Garry Fletcher’sr’s prop.
Medicago lupulina Black medic Vascular plant Forb disturbed site
Mitella brewerii Brewer’s mitrewort Vascular plant Forb occasional
Oenanthe sarmentosa Pacific water-parsley Vascular plant Forb sub-hygric
Osmorhiza chilensis sweet-cicely Vascular plant Forb
Phragmites australis Common reed Vascular plant Forb open wet meadow
Plantago sp. plantain Vascular plant Forb
Platanthera sp. rein orchid Vascular plant Forb
Potentilla anserina silverweed Vascular plant Forb
Potentilla anserina Common silverweed Vascular plant Forb marsh adjacent to lagoon
Prunella vulgaris Self-heal Vascular plant Forb moist microsite
Ranunculus occidentalis Western buttercup Vascular plant Forb open areas
Ranunculus sp. buttercups Vascular plant Forb
Ranunculus uncinatus Small-flowered buttercup Vascular plant Forb openings next to beach
Romanzoffia tracyi Tracey’s mistmaiden Vascular plant Forb
Rumex acetosella sheep sorrel Vascular plant Forb
Rumex sp. dock Vascular plant Forb
Saxifraga sp. Saxifrage  Vascular plant Forb
Senecio vulgaris Common groundsel Vascular plant Forb mesic
Sonchus asper Prickly sow thistle Vascular plant Forb not in flower
Stachys sp. hedge nettle Vascular plant Forb
Taraxacum
officinale
Common dandelion Vascular plant Forb adjacent to beach
Taraxacum sp. dandelion Vascular plant Forb
Tellima grandiflora Fringe cup Vascular plant Forb permesic, base of bluffs
Trientalis borealis ssp latifolia Starflower Vascular plant Forb permesic
Trifolium repens White clover Vascular plant Forb  shady, moist site
Urtica dioica stinging nettle Vascular plant Forb
Vicia sativa Common vetch Vascular plant Forb disturbed sites
Elymus mollis Tall beachgrass Vascular plant Grass next to the beach
Poa sp. Bluegrass Vascular plant Grass scattered
Juncus effusus Common rush Vascular plant Rush on Garry Fletcher’sr’s prop.
Carex lyngbyei Lyngby’s sedge Vascular plant Sedge on Garry Fletcher’sr’s prop.
Carex obnupta Slough sedge Vascular plant Sedge on Garry Fletcher’sr’s prop.
Scirpus
americanus
Hard-stemmed bullrush Vascular plant Sedge on Garry Fletcher’sr’s prop.
Amelanchier alnifolia Saskatoon berry/service berry Vascular plant Shrub
Cytisus scoparius Scotch broom Vascular plant Shrub in open areas (introduced)
Daphne laureola spurge-laurel Vascular plant Shrub scattered along bluff face
Gaultheria shallon salal Vascular plant Shrub
Hedera helix English ivy Vascular plant Shrub naturalized
Holodiscus discolor ocean spray Vascular plant Shrub
Ilex sp Holly Vascular plant Shrub naturalized
Lonicera ciliosa orange honeysuckle Vascular plant Shrub
Mahonia nervosa Oregon grape Vascular plant Shrub drier sites
Oemleria cerasiformis Indian plum Vascular plant Shrub mesic and wetter
Ribes lacustre Black gooseberry Vascular plant Shrub toe slopes
Ribes sanguineum Red flowering currant Vascular plant Shrub toe slopes
Rosa nutkana Nootka rose Vascular plant Shrub
Rubus armeniacus Himalayan blackberry Vascular plant Shrub exposed areas (introduced)
Rubus parviflorus thimble berry Vascular plant Shrub
Rubus spectabilis salmon berry Vascular plant Shrub
Rubus ursinus Trailing blackberry Vascular plant Shrub in openings
near toe slopes
Sambucus racemosa red elder Vascular plant Shrub
Symphoricarpos albus snowberry Vascular plant Shrub
Ulex europaeus Gorse Vascular plant Shrub introduced
Abies grandis grand fir Vascular plant Tree
Acer macrophyllum big leaf maple Vascular plant Tree
Alnu rubra red alder Vascular plant Tree
Arbutus menziesii arbutus Vascular plant Tree
Malus fusca Pacific crabapple Vascular plant Tree permesic site
Pinus contorta shore pine Vascular plant Tree
Prunus marginata Bitter cherry Vascular plant Tree permesic site
Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas fir Vascular plant Tree
Quercus garryana Garry Oak Vascular plant Tree
Salix scouleriana Scouler’s willow Vascular plant Tree above the beach
Salix sitchensis Sitka willow Vascular plant Tree adjacent to the beach
Salix sp. willow Vascular plant Tree
Buteo jamaicensis Red tail hawk Vertebrate Bird in the air above Taylor beach
Haliaeetus leucocephalus Bald eagle Vertebrate Bird in the air east of Taylor beach
Larus glaucescens Glaucus winged gull Vertebrate Bird in the air numerous)
Sphyrapicus ruber Red-naped sapsucker Vertebrate Bird in an alder snag
Blepsias cirrhosus Silverspotted Sculpin Vertebrate Fish
Gobiesox maeandricus Northern Clingfish Vertebrate Fish
Leptocottus armatus Staghorn Sculpin Vertebrate Fish
Liparis florae TidepoolSnailfish Vertebrate Fish
Pholis sp. Gunnel Vertebrate Fish
Lontra canadensis River otter Vertebrate Mammal off Witty’s beach
Oryctolagus cuniculus European rabbit Vertebrate Mammal open grass meadow near lagoon
Phoca vitulina Harbour seal Vertebrate Mammal
Thamnophis sp Garter snake Vertebrate Reptile in the grass adjacentcent to lagoon