Table 3.5.2. Comparison of the proportion of taxa within major taxonomic groups 
on the shelf vs. West Coast estuaries. Each value is the number of species 
within the corresponding taxonomic group divided by the total number of species. 
Taxonomic Group 
Shelf 
Estuaries* 
Polychaetes 
44% 
36% 
Amphipods 
14% 
14% 
Decapods 
3.3% 
3.4% 
Cumaceans 
2.6% 
2.6% 
Bivalves 
7.8% 
8.3% 
Gastropods 
7.5% 
7.8% 
Ophiuroids 
1.7% 
1.2% 
Holothurians 
1.3% 
0.7% 
Insect larvae 
0 
2.9% 
Total species 
1482 
1303 
# Grabs (0.1 m 2 each) 
259 
345 
* Based on 1999-2000 data from the EPA National Coastal Assessment- 
Western Regional Component (NCA-West) database for estuaries (Nelson et al. 
2004, 2005; U.S. EPA 2004; Hayslip et al. 2006). 
83 
