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Table 1.

Patterns of zonation on MBNMS Rocky Shores, including common species and those whose name has been used to indicate zones. I = Indicator species for the zone, E = found predominantly at wave exposed sites, P = found predominantly at wave protected sites.
Splash Zone (almost always exposed to air)

Animals Plants
Balanus glandula Blue-green algae
Chthamalus spp. Seasonal Diatoms
Ligia spp.
Littorina keenae (I)
Pachygrapsus crassipes (P)

High Intertidal Zone (exposed to air for a long periods twice a day)

Animals Plants
Balanus glandula (I) Cladophora columbiana
Chthamalus spp. Endocladia muricata (I)
Littorina scutulata Fucus garnderi
Lottia digitalis Mastocarpus papillatus (I)
Lottia pelta Pelvetiopsis limitata
McClintockia scabra Petrocelis
Tegula funebralis (P) Ulva spp.

Mid-Interidal Zone (exposed to air briefly once or twice a day)

Animals Plants
Anthopleura elegantissima Analipus japonicus
Balanus glandula Bossiella plumosa
Katharina tunicata (E) Cladophora columbiana
Lottia gigantea Cylindrocarpus rugosus
Lottia pelta Egregia menziesii
McClintokia scabra Endocladia muricata
Mopalia muscosa (P) Gelidium spp.
Mytilus californianus (I, E) Gigartina canaliculata
Nucella emarginata Iridaea splendens
Nuttallina californica (E) Mastocarpus papillatus
Phragmatopoma californica Neorhodomela larix
Pisaster ochraceus (E) Petrocelis
Pollicipes polymerus (I) Postelsia palmaeformis (E)
Tetraclita rubescens (E) Ralfsia spp.
Ulva spp.

Low Intertidal Zone (only exposed to air during the lowest tides of the year)

Animals Plants
Anthopleura xanthogrammica Alaria marginata
Bryozoans Egregia menziesii
Nudibranchs (P) Laminaria spp.
Sponges Phyllospadix spp. (I)
Strongylocentrotus purpuratus
Tunicates

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