GCE-LTER Invertebrate Species List
Scope of the List: This is a partial listing of the invertebrate species that occur at or near Georgia Coastal Ecosystems Long Term Ecological Research monitoring sites GCE1 through GCE10. The list has been constructed mainly from anecdotal observations at the sites but also includes species which are likely to occur but which have not been observed directly.
List Contributors:
Steven C. Pennings, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
Thomas Dale Bishop, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
Additional Resources: You can also find species known from the GCE domain by searching the i-naturalist “place” for the Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER. As of 2025, there are over 20,000 observations of over 3,000 species from the GCE domain. You can use the “filters” tab to narrow the list to a few broad taxonomic categories.
| Animalia - Mollusca - Bivalvia | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Habitats (key) | Resources |
| Amygdalum papyrium (Mytilidae) | Atlantic papermussel | S:M | |
| Crassostrea virginica (Ostreidae) | eastern oyster | S:B, S:M |   |
| Cyrenoida floridana (Cyrenoididae) | Florida marshclam | S:B, S:F | |
| Gemma gemma (Veneridae) | amethyst gemclam | S:B, S:M | |
| Geukensia demissa (Mytilidae) | ribbed mussel, ribbed-mussel | S:B, S:M | |
| Perna viridis (Mytilidae) | Green mussel | |
|
| Polymesoda caroliniana (Corbiculidae) | Carolina marshclam | |
|
| Tagelus plebeius (Solecurtidae) | stout tagelus | S:B, S:M | |
| Animalia - Mollusca - Gastropoda | |||
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Habitats (key) | Resources |
| Assiminea succinea (Assimineidae) | Atlantic assiminea | |
|
| Detracia floridana (Ellobiidae) | florida melampus | S:B | |
| Hydrobiidae (various species) | none | S:B, S:F, S:M | |
| Littoraria irrorata (Littorinidae) | marsh periwinkle | S:B, S:M | |
| Littoraria nebulosa (Littorinidae) | cloudy periwinkle | S:M, T:I | |
| Melampus bidentatus (Ellobiidae) | eastern melampus | S:B, S:F, S:M | |
| Nassarius obsoletus aka Ilyanassa obsoleta (Nassariidae) | eastern mudsnail | S:M | |
| Neritina usnea (Neritidae) | olive nerite | S:B, S:F, S:M | |
| Succineidae (various species) | none | S:F | |
| Animalia - Arthropoda - Crustacea (Malacostraca) | |||
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Habitats (key) | Resources |
| Aratus pisonii (Sesarmidae) | mangrove tree crab | |
|
| Armases cinereum (Sesarmidae) | squareback marsh crab | S:B, S:F, S:M | |
| Callinectes exasperatus (Portunidae) | rugose swimming crab | |
|
| Callinectes sapidus (Portunidae) | blue crab, bluepoint | S:B, S:F, S:M | |
| Cyathura burbancki (Anthuridae) | none | S:M | |
| Cyathura polita (Anthuridae) | none | S:B, S:M | |
| Eurytium limosum (Panopeidae) | broadback mud crab | S:B, S:M | |
| Gammarus palustris (Gammaridae) | none | ||
| Hargeria rapax (Leptocheliidae) | none | S:B, S:F, S:M | |
| Hyalella azteca (Hyalellidae) | none | S:F | |
| Leptuca pugilator aka Uca pugilator (Ocypodidae) | Atlantic sand fiddler | S:M | |
| Leptuca thayeri aka Uca thayeri (Ocypodidae) | mangrove fiddler, Atlantic mangrove fiddler | H:MR, S:M, T:I | |
| Lysmata wurdemanni (Hippolytidae) | peppermint shrimp | |
|
| Minuca minax aka Uca minax (Ocypodidae) | redjointed fiddler, red-joint fiddler | S:B, S:F | |
| Minuca pugnax aka Uca pugnax (Ocypodidae) | Atlantic marsh fiddler | S:B, S:M | |
| Ocypode quadrata (Ocypodidae) | Atlantic ghost crab | H:BD, S:M | |
| Orchestia grillus (Talitridae) | none | S:B, S:F, S:M | |
| Orchestia uhleri (Talitridae) | none | S:B, S:M | |
| Palaemonetes pugio (Palaemonidae) | daggerblade grass shrimp | S:B, S:F, S:M | |
| Panopeus herbstii (Panopeidae) | Atlantic mud crab | H:MR, S:M | |
| Petrolisthes armatus (Porcellanidae) | green porcelain crab | |
|
| Probopyrus pandalicola (Bopyridae) | none | H:PR | |
| Sesarma reticulatum (Sesarmidae) | heavy marsh crab, purple marsh crab | S:B, S:F, S:M | |
| Uhlorchestia spartinophila (Talitridae) | none | S:M | |
| Animalia - Arthropoda - Crustacea (Maxillopoda) | |||
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Habitats (key) | Resources |
| Balanus amphitrite (Balanidae) | none | H:FL, S:B, S:M | |
| Balanus eburneus (Balanidae) | ivory barnacle | H:FL, S:B, S:M | |
| Balanus trigonus (Balanidae) | none | H:FL, S:B, S:M | |
| Chthamalus fragilis (Chthamalidae) | none | H:FL, S:B, S:M | |
| Megabalanus coccopoma (Balanidae) | none | H:FL, S:B, S:M | |
| Animalia - Arthropoda - Insecta | |||
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Habitats (key) | Resources |
| Amblycorypha floridana (Tettigoniidae) | none | |
|
| Bucrates malivolans (Tettigoniidae) | none | H:MR, S:F | |
| Ceratopogonidae (various species) | biting midges | S:B, S:F, S:M | |
| Chaetopsis aenea (Otitidae) | none | H:MR, S:M | |
| Chaetopsis apicalis (Otitidae) | none | H:MR, S:M | |
| Chironomidae (various species) | midges | S:B, S:F, S:M | |
| Chlorochroa senilis (Pentatomidae) | none | H:MR, S:B, T:T | |
| Conocephalus aigialus (Tettigoniidae) | none | H:MR, S:B, S:M | |
| Conocephalus fasciatus (Tettigoniidae) | slender meadow grasshopper | H:MR, S:B, S:M | |
| Conocephalus hygrophilus (Tettigoniidae) | none | H:MR, S:B, S:M | |
| Conocephalus nigropleuroides (Tettigoniidae) | none | H:MR, S:B, S:M | |
| Conocephalus spartinae (Tettigoniidae) | salt marsh meadow grasshopper | H:MR, S:B, S:M | |
| Culicidae (various species) | mosquitoes | S:B, S:F, S:M | |
| Dasymutilla occidentalis (Mutillidae) | none | T:T | |
| Delphacodes penedetecta (Delphacidae) | none | |
|
| Ephydridae (various species) | brine flies | S:B, S:F, S:M | |
| Hesperotettix floridensis (Acrididae) | none | H:UF, S:B, S:M | |
| Ischnodemus badius (Blissidae) | none | H:MR, S:B, T:T | |
| Leptysma marginicollis (Acrididae) | slender locust | H:MR, S:F | |
| Mermiria intertexta (Acrididae) | none | S:M | |
| Neoconocephalus melanorhinus (Tettigoniidae) | none | H:MR, S:B, S:M | |
| Neoconocephalus robustus (Tettigoniidae) | none | H:MR, S:F | |
| Ophraella notulata (Chrysomelidae) | none | S:B, S:M | |
| Orchelimum concinnum (Tettigoniidae) | dusky-faced meadow grasshopper | H:MR, S:B, S:M | |
| Orchelimum erythrocephalum (Tettigoniidae) | red-head meadow grasshopper | |
|
| Orchelimum fidicinium (Tettigoniidae) | none | H:HM, H:MR, S:B, S:M | |
| Orphulella pelidna (Acrididae) | none | S:M | |
| Paria aterrima (Chrysomelidae) | none | S:B, S:M | |
| Paroxya clavuliger (Acrididae) | none | S:B, S:M | |
| Prokelisia marginata (Delphacidae) | none | S:B, S:M | |
| Romalea microptera aka Romalea guttatus, Romalea guttata (Romaleidae) | none | S:F | |
| Schistocerca obscura (Acrididae) | none | H:MR, H:UF, S:B, S:F, S:M | |
| Schistocerca spp (Acrididae) | none | |
|
| Sparganothis spp (Order Lepidoptera) | none | S:M | |
| Tabanidae (various species) | clegs | S:B, S:F, S:M | |
| Trigonotylus uhleri (Miridae) | none | |
|
| Trirhabda bacharidis (Chrysomelidae) | none | S:M | |
| Tytthus vagus (Miridae) | none | |
|
| Animalia - Arthropoda - Arachnida | |||
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Habitats (key) | Resources |
| Kukulcania hibernalis (Filistatidae) | southern house spider | T:T | |
| Nephila clavipes (Nephilidae) | golden silk orbweaver | T:T | |
| Animalia - Annelida - Oligochaeta | |||
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Habitats (key) | Resources |
| Enchytraeidae (various species) | none | ||
| Tubificidae (various species) | none | ||
| Animalia - Annelida - Polychaeta | |||
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Habitats (key) | Resources |
| Capitella capitata (Capitellidae) | none | S:B, S:M | |
| Heteromastus filiformis (Capitellidae) | none | S:B, S:M | |
| Laeonereis culveri (Nereididae) | none | S:B, S:F, S:M | |
| Manayunkia aestuarina (Sabellidae) | none | S:B, S:M | |
| Namalycastis abiuma (Nereididae) | none | S:B, S:F | |
| Neanthes succinea (Nereididae) | none | S:B, S:M | |
| Streblospio benedicti (Spionidae) | none | S:B, S:M | |
| Animalia - Platyhelminthes - Trematoda | |||
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Habitats (key) | Resources |
| Pleurogonius malaclemys (Pronocephalidae) | none | S:M | |
| Animalia - Echinodermata - Echinoidea | |||
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Habitats (key) | Resources |
| Mellita quinquiesperforata (Mellitidae) | sand dollar | H:BS, S:M | |
Key to Habitats:
H:BD - Habitat Type: Beach/Dune
H:BS - Habitat Type: Beach/Subtidal
H:FL - Habitat Type: Fouling
H:HM - Habitat Type: Hammock
H:MR - Habitat Type: Marsh
H:PR - Habitat Type: Parasitic
H:UF - Habitat Type: Upland forest
S:B - Salinity Zone: Brackish water
S:F - Salinity Zone: Fresh water
S:M - Salinity Zone: Marine
T:I - Tidal Zone: Intertidal
T:T - Tidal Zone: Terrestrial
