List of Salt Marsh Species*

Animals are arranged by phylum, algae by division and plants by family

Animals

Phylum Annelida, Class Polychaeta:

a. Nereis succinea (The Common Clamworm) Z1

b. Glycera americana (Blood Worm) Z1

c. Nereis virens (Clam Worm) Z1

Phylum Annelida, Class Oligochaeta:

Oligochaete MP

Phylum Arthropoda, Class Cirripedea:

Semibalanus balanoides (Common Rock Barnacle) Z1

Phylum Arthropoda, Class Crustacea:

a. Amphipods (Unidentified) MP

b. Cancer irroratus (Rock Crab) Z1

c. Carcinus maenas (Green Crab) Z1

d. Copepods (Unidentified) MP

e. Crangon septemspinosus (Sand Shrimp) Z1

f. Gammarus spp., Amphipod (Sideswimmers or Scuds) Z1

, MP

g. Isopod Z1

h. Isopods (Unidentified) MP

i. Pagurus longicarpus (Long-armed Hermit Crab) Z1

j. Mysid Shrimp Z1

k. Ostracod MP

Phylum Arthropoda, Class Merostomata:

Limulus polyphemus (Horseshoe Crab) Z1

Phylum Arthropoda, Class Arachnida, Order Aranea:

Spiders MP

Phylum Arthropoda, Class Insecta:

a. Order Coleoptera, Family Hydrophilidae (Water

Scavenger Beetle Larva) MP

b. Order Collembola: (Springtails): Anurida maritima MP

c. Order Diptera: Mosquito Larvae, Biting Midge Larva

and Tabanus nigrovittatus (Green-Head) (Larva and

Adult) MP

d. Order Hemiptera: (True Bugs): Water Strider Z1, MP

and Water Boatman MP, Z1

e. Order Odonata (Damselflies and Dragonflies) MP

Phylum Mollusca, Class Gastropoda:

a. Buccinum undatum (Common or Waved Whelk) Z1

b. Crepidula fornicata (Common Slipper Shell) Z1

c. Ilyanassa obsoleta (Mud Snail) Z1

d. Littorina littorea (Periwinkle) Z1

e. Littorina saxatilus (Rough Periwinkle) Z2, MP

f. Melampus bidentatus Z1

g. Nucella lapillus (Dogwhelk) Z1

h. Onchidoris spp. (Nudibranch) Z1

i. Urosalpinx cinerea (Oyster Drill) Z1

Phylum Mollusca, Class Bivalvia:

a. Crassostrea virginica (Eastern Oyster) Z1

b. Mercenaria mercenaria (Quahog) Z1

c. Modiolus demissus (Ribbed Mussel) Z1

d. Mya arenaria (Soft-Shell Clam) Z1

e. Mytilus edulis (Blue Mussel) Z1

Remaining Animal Phyla: in alphabetical order

Phylum Chordata, Sub-Phylum Urochordata:

a. Botryllus schlosseri (Colonial Tunicate) Z1

b. Molgula spp. (Sea Squirt) Z1

Phylum Chordata, Sub-Phylum Vertebrata:

Fundulus heteroclitus (Mummichog) MP

Phylum Cnidaria:

a. Class Hydrozoa: Obelia spp. Z1

b. Class Anthozoa: Metridium senile (Brown Sea

Anemone) Z1

Phylum Nemertea: Cerebratulus lacteus (Ribbon Worm)

Z1

Phylum Nematoda: One unidentified species MP

Phylum Platyhelminthes, Class Turbellaria, Order

Rhabdocoela: Gyratrix spp. and several unidentified

species MP

Phylum Porifera: Halichondria panicea (Bread-Crumb

Sponge) Z1

Phylum Protozoa:

a. Flagellated Protozoa: Unidentified Species MP

b. Ciliated Protozoa: Zoothamnion spp as well as several

unidentified Species MP

Bacteria

Heterotrophic Bacteria: Spiral Shaped, Rod Shaped and

Spherical Forms MP

Bluegreen Bacteria (Blugreen Algae): Calothrix spp.,

Lyngbea spp. and Oscillatoria spp., MP

Purple Photosynthetic Bacteria: Unidentified Type. MP

Algae

Chlorophyta (Green Algae):

a. Cladophora spp. Z1, MP

b. Chaetomorpha spp. (Mermaids Hair) Z1, MP

c. Enteromorpha spp. Z1, MP

d. Ulothrix spp. Z1, MP

e. Ulva lactuca (Sea Lettuce) Z1

Chrysophyta: Diatoms MP

Phaeophyta( Brown Algae):

a. Ascophyllum nodosum (Knotted Wrack) Z2

b. Fucus vesiculosis (Rock Weed) Z2

Pyrrhophyta: (Dinoflagellates) (Unidentified Species) MP

Rhodophyta (Red Algae):

Chondrus crispus (Irish Moss) Z1

Higher Plants

Osmundaceae (Flowering Fern Family):

Osmunda cinnamonea (Cinnamon Fern) Z6

Anacardiaceae (Cashew Family):

a. Rhus typhina (Staghorn Sumac) Z6

b. Toxicodendron radicans (Poison Ivy) Z5

Aquifoliaceae (Holly Family):

Ilex verticillata (Winterberry) Z6

Asclepiadaceae (Milkweed Family):

Asclepias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed) Z6

Asteraceae (Aster Family):

a. Centaurea spp. (Star-thistle) Z6

b. Doellingeria (Aster) umbellata (White Flat-Topped

Aster) Z6

c. Solidago sempervirens (Seaside Goldenrod) Z3, Z5

d. Sonchus asper (Sow Thistle) Z6

e. Symphyotrichum tenuifolium (Aster tenuifolius), (Salt

Marsh Aster) Z3, Z4, Z5, Z6

Balsaminaceae (Touch-Me-Not Family):

Impatiens capensis (Jewel Weed)

Berberidaceae (Barberry Family):

Berberis vulgaris (Common Barberry) Z6

Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family):

Viburnum dentatum (Arrowwood) Z6

Caryophyllaceae (The Pink Family):

Spergularia salina (Salt Marsh Sand Spurrey) PP, Z3

Celastraceae (Staff-tree Family):

Celastrus scandens (Climbing Bittersweet) Z6

Chenopodiaceae (Goosefoot Family):

a. Atriplex patula (Common Orach) PP, Z3

b. Salicornia marina (Glasswort) Z2, Z3, MP, PP

c. Suaeda linearis (Erect Sea Blite) PP, Z2

Convolvulaceae (Morning-glory Family):

a. Calystegia sepium (Hedge-bindweed or Wild Morning-

glory) Z6

b. Cuscuta gronovii (Common Dodder) Z6

Cornaceae (Dogwood Family):

Cornus alterniflora (Alternate-leaved Dogwood) Z6

Cyperaceae, Sedge Family:

a. Carex spp. Z5

b. Carex crinita (Fringed Sedge) Z5

c. Carex hormathodes (Marsh-Straw Sedge) Z5

d. Carex palaceae (Chaffy Sedge) Z5

e. Cladium mariscoides (Twig-rush) Z3

f. Eleocharis parvula (Spike Rush), MP, PP, Z3

g. Schoenoplectus pungens (Scirpus americanus) (Sharp-

pointed Three Square) Z5

h. Schoenoplectus (Scirpus) robustus (Salt Marsh

Bulrush) MP,Z3 ,Z5

Ericaceae (Heath Family):

Vaccinium macrocarpon (American Cranberry) Z5

Fabaceae (Pea or Bean Family):

a. Apios americana (Groundnut) Z6

b. Lathyrus japonicus (Wild (Japanese) Beach Pea) Z6

Juncaceae (Rush Family):

a. Juncus arcticus (Baltic Rush) Z5

b. Juncus geradii (Black Grass) Z4

Juncaginaceae (Arrow-grass Family):

Triglochin maritima (Northern Sea-side Arrowgrass) Z3

Lythraceae (Loosestrief Family):

Lythrum salicaria (Purple Loosestrief)

Myricaceae (Wax-myrtle Family):

a. Comptonia peregrina (Sweet-fern) Z6

b. Myrica gale (Sweet Gale) Z5, Z6

c. Myrica pensylvanica (Morella pensylvanica) (Northern

Bayberry) Z5

Plantaginaceae (Plantain Family):

Plantago maritima (Seaside Plantain) PP, Z3

Plumbaginaceae (Leadwort Family):

Limonium carolinianum (Sea-Lavender or Marsh

Rosemary) Z3

Poaceae (Grass Family):

a. Agrostis gigantea (Redtop Grass) Z5, Z3

b. Agrostis stolonifera (Creeping Bent-grass) Z5

c. Calamagrostis spp. (Reed Bentgrass) Z5

d. Distichlis spicata (Spike Grass or Saltgrass) Z3

e. Elymus (Agropyron) repens (Quack Grass) Z5

f. Elymus virginicus (Virginia Rye Grass) Z5

g. Festuca rubra (Red Fescue Grass) Z5, Z3

h. Hierochloe odorata (Sweet or Vanilla Grass) Z5, Z3

i. Hordeum jubatum (Squirrel-tail or Foxtail Barley) Z3,

Z4

j. Panicum virgatum (Red Switchgrass) Z5

k. Phragmites australis (Common Reed Grass) Z5

l. Spartina alterniflora (Salt-water Cordgrass) Z2 ,MP, PP

m. Spartina patens (Salt Meadow Cordgrass) Z3

n. Spartina pectinata (Freshwater Cordgrass) Z5

o. Thinopyrum pycnanthum (Agropyron pungens)

(Wheatgrass) Z5

Potamogetonaceae (Pondweed Family):

Ruppia maritima (Widgeon Grass) MP

Primulaceae (Primrose Family):

Glaux maritima (Sea Milkwort) Z3, MP, PP

Rosaceae (Rose Family):

a. Argentina anserina (Potentilla anserina) (Silverweed)

Z3

b. Aronia melanocarpa (Black Chokeberry) Z6

c. Rosa palustris (Swamp Rose) Z6

d. Rubus spp. (Red Raspberry) Z6

e. Spiraea alba (Meadow-sweet) Z5

Solanaceae (Nightshade Family):

Solanum dulcamara (Bittersweet Nightshade) Z6

Typhaceae (Cat-tail Family):

Typha angustifolia (Narrowleaf Cattail) Z5 , PP

Zosteraceae:

Zostera marina (Eelgrass) Z1

 

*The location of each species within the salt marsh is listed after it’s name. Species may be located in Zones (Z) 1-6, in Marsh Pools (MP), or in Marsh Pannes (PP)