SUBPHYLUM CRUSTACEA
Marine Arthropods of the Pacific Northwest
This website is dedicated to Crustacea, one of the most highly adapted subphyla found in the intertidal zone. As a member of the Arthropoda, this subphyla includes crabs, shrimps, and barnacles, as well as various amphipod species. By clicking the links above and moving your mouse over the pictures, you will be introduced to the commonly observed and more hard to come by species of the Puget Sound area.
In addition to general information about this phyla, this site contains an overall species list, locations of observations, and references used during species identification.
The construction of this site was a part of the University of Washington Tacoma's Marine Ecology field course. Throughout the 2008 spring quarter, myself and 9 students traveled throughout the Puget Sound region observing marine life in various habitats, all the while learning the science behind these species interactions.
Each member of the course chose a phylum on the first day of class, becoming somewhat of a subject matter expert (read: "Hey crab boy! What is this?"). The course fostered a participative, hands on style of learning that emphasized relationships, monitoring, and saltwater.
Special thanks to Dr. Bonnie Becker for her excellent instruction, Dr. Peter Selkin for his geologic expertise and the trunk of his Honda Civic, and to Hannah Julich for her field equipment and know how.
This webpage is part of the UWT Marine Ecology 2008 Class Project
