Shells and Shellfish of the Pacific Northwest

by Rick M. Harbo, Rick M. Harbo (Photographer)

Overview

Shells and Shellfish of the Pacific Northwest is the indispensable guide for beachcombers, seashell collectors, divers or anyone who wants to know more about the shells and shellfish found along the saltwater beaches and intertidal areas of the Pacific Northwest. Everyone from weekend adventurers to serious collectors will love this book!

This comprehensive field guide introduces more than 250 species of mollusks - clams, oysters, scallops, chitons and more - whose range extends from Alaska to B.C. to Washington, Oregon and California. Rick Harbo has included detailed descriptions and colour photos of familiar species like the mussel as well as more obscure ones like the checkered hairysnail and the gutless awning clam. Shells and Shellfish of the Pacific Northwest is also packed with information on places to find shells, the importance of shells in Native art and culture, and guidelines on edibility and conservation. A special full-colour section on identifying clams by their siphons or "shows" is a first for shell guidebooks.

Discover the rich, varied marine life of the Pacific Northwest with this fascinating, easy-to-follow book. Don't go to the beach without it!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781550171464
Publisher:	Harbour Publishing Co. Ltd.
Publication date:	01/01/1997
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	339,171
Product dimensions:	5.54(w) x 8.46(h) x 0.62(d)

About the Author

Rick Harbo, B.Sc., is one of the Pacific Northwest's leading marine writers and photographers. Author of the bestselling Tidepool and Reef, The Edible Seashore, Guide to the Western Seashore, Shells and Shellfish of the Pacific Northwest, and Whelks to Whales, Harbo is a diver, teacher of marine life courses and a senior marine biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada in Nanaimo, BC, where he lives with his wife and children. Rick Harbo, B.Sc., is one of the Pacific Northwest's leading marine writers and photographers. Author of the bestselling Tidepool and Reef, The Edible Seashore, Guide to the Western Seashore, Shells and Shellfish of the Pacific Northwest, and Whelks to Whales, Harbo is a diver, teacher of marine life courses and a senior marine biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada in Nanaimo, BC, where he lives with his wife and children.

Table of Contents

Introduction 9
How to Use This Guide 10

Colour Guide
Bivalves (Clams, Mussels,
Oysters, Cockles, Scallops) 13
Brachiopods (Lamp Shells) 53
Bivalve Siphons & Shows or
"Eyes Looking Out 55
Gastropods (Abalone,
Snails, Limpets, Whelks) 69
Tuskshells 103
Chitons 105

Black-and-White Guide
The Mollusks 113
Bivalves (Clams, Mussels,
Oysters, Cockles, Scallops) jig
Brachlopods (Lamp Shells) 180
Gastropods (Abalone,
Snails, Limpets, Whelks) 181
Tuskshells 222
Chitons 225

Appendices
Acknowledgements 233
Checklist 234
Further Reading 244
Recreational Harvest Information,
Licensing Requirements and
Regulations (19.96) 246
PSP (Red Tide) Marine
Toxin Hotlines (1996) 246
Glossary of Terms 247
Glossary of Approximate
Meanings of Scientific Names 250

Index 253

Preface

The Pacific Northwest is one of the world's favourite outdoor recreation spots, known for its rugged natural beauty or its rich, abundant wildlife. Because of its temperate climate warm ocean currents, the area is home to an especially rich variety of marine life, including hundreds of species of shellfish. Campers, hikers, swimmers, divers and beachcombers can find a cornucopia of intertidal and subtidal creatures, from the tiny Adanson lepton to the Giant Pacific chiton.

This guide introduces 225 of the most familiar species to be found along the Northwest Coast-the clams, oysters, mussels, abalone, snails, whelks, tusks, chitons and other common shellfish that inhabit the beaches, shallow waters and intertidal areas near salt water. All of them are members of the phylum Mollusca (the mollusks), and they are among the most abundant and interesting creatures in the world.