Raritan Bay - Sandy Hook Bay Complex List of Species of Special Emphasis

Species of Special Emphasis Occurring in the Raritan Bay - Sandy Hook Bay Complex (Complex #17)

Scientific Name	Common Name(s)	Global	Federal	NY Rank	NY Stat.	NJ Rank	NJ Stat.	BW # Rank	UC Rank	Rar. Bay/ S.H. Bay
ANIMALS										+
INVERTEBRATES										+
MOLLUSCA										+
Argopecten irradians	bay scallop							BW4	R	+
Crassostrea virginica	eastern oyster							BW4	D	+
Mercenaria mercenaria	northern quahog							BW5	S	+
Mya arenaria	softshell clam							BW4	D	+
Mytilus edulis	blue mussel							BW5	S	+
Spisula solidissima	Atlantic surfclam							BW5		+
ARTHROPODA										+
INSECTA										+
Cicindela d. dorsalis	northeastern beach tiger beetle	G4T1T2	T	SH	T	SH	E	BWH/BWI	R	H/I
Asterocampa clyton	tawny emperor	G5		S3	U	S4		BW3BW4	D	+
Incisalia henrici	Henry's elfin	G5		S2S3	U (SC)	S3S4		BW2?	R	B/M
CRUSTACEA										+
Callinectes sapidus	blue crab							BW5	S	+
Homarus americanus	American lobster							BW4	D	+
MEROSTOMATA										+
Limulus polyphemus	horseshoe crab							BW5	S	+
VERTEBRATES										+
FISH										+
Mustelus canis	smooth dogfish (A)	G?		SA	U			BW5	S	+
Raja eglanteria	clearnose skate (A)							BW5	U	+
Raja erinacea	little skate (A)							BW5	S	+
Squalus acanthias	spiny dogfish (A)							BW5	D	+
Acipenser oxyrinchus	Atlantic sturgeon (A-F/AN)	G3		S1	P	S3		BW1	D	+
Ammodytes americanus	American sandlance (A)	G?		SN	U			BW4	S	+
Anguilla rostrata	American eel (A-F/CA)	G5		S5	U	S5		BW4	S	+
Menidia menidia	Atlantic silverside (A)	G5		S2S3	U			BW4	S	+
Opsanus tau	oyster toadfish (A)							BW4	S	+
Paralichthys dentatus	summer flounder (A)	G?		SN	P			BW4	S	+
Scophthalmus aquosus	windowpane (A)	G?		SN	U			BW5	S	+
Alosa aestivalis	blueback herring (A-F/AN)	G5		S3	U	S5		BW4	S	+
Alosa pseudoharengus	alewife (A-F/AN)	G5		S5	U	S5		BW4	S	+
Brevoortia tyrannus	Atlantic menhaden (A)	G?		SN	U			BW5	S	+
Clupea harengus	Atlantic herring (A)	G?		SN	U			BW4	S	+
Dorosoma cepedianum	gizzard shad (A-F/AN)	G5		S3	U	S4			D	+
Myoxcephalus aenaeus	grubby sculpin (A)	G?		S3	U			BW4	S	+
Fundulus heteroclitus	mummichog (A-F)	G5		S3	U	S5		BW4	S	+
Anchoa mitchilli	bay anchovy (A-F)	G5		S3	U			BW3	S	+
Gadus morhua	Atlantic cod (A)	G?		SN	P			BW4	D	+
Merluccius bilinearis	silver hake (A)	G?		SN	U			BW5	S	+
Microgadus tomcod	Atlantic tomcod (A)	G5		S3	U	S3		BW3	S	+
Tautoga onitis	tautog (A)	G?		SN	P			BW4	D	+
Tautogolabrus adspersus	cunner (A)	G?		SN	U			BW3	S	+
Lophius americanus	goosefish (A)	G?		SN	U			BW4	D	+
Mugil cephalus	striped mullet (A-F)	G5		SN	U			BW4	D	+
Morone saxatilis	striped bass (A-F/AN)	G5		S4	P	S4	W	BW4	S	+
Pomatomus saltatrix	bluefish (A)	G?		SN	P			BW5	S	+
Cynoscion regalis	weakfish (A)	G?		SN	P			BW4	D	+
Leiostomas xanthurus	spot (A)	G5		SN	U			BW4	D	+
Menticirrhus saxatilis	northern kingfish (A)	G?		SA	U			BW4?	D	+
Micropogonias undulatus	Atlantic croaker (A)	G5		SN	U			BW3	D	+
Scomber scombrus	Atlantic mackerel (A)	G?		SN	P			BW5	D	+
Centropristis striata	black sea bass (A)	G?		SN	P			BW5	S	+
Trinectes maculatus	hogchoker (A-F)	G5		S3	U			BW3	S	+
Stenotomus chrysops	scup (A)	G?		SN	U			BW4	S	+
Syngnathus fuscus	northern pipefish (A)	G?		S3	U			BW4	S	+
Prionotus carolinus	northern searobin (A)	G?		SN	U			BW3	S	+
Prionotus evolans	striped searobin (A)	G?		SN	U			BW3	S	+
REPTILES										+
Heterodon platirhinos	eastern hognose snake	G5		S3S4	U/SC	S5	D	BW4	R	I
Caretta caretta	loggerhead sea turtle	G3	T	SZN	T	SN	E	BW2	R	+
Clemmys guttata	spotted turtle	G5		S4	U/SC	S5		BW4BW5	R	I
Dermochelys coriacea	leatherback sea turtle	G3	E	SZN	E	SN	E	BW2	R	+
Kinosternon subrubrum	eastern mud turtle	G5		S1	T (E)	S?	U	BW1	R	+
Lepidochelys kempii	Atlantic (=Kemp's) ridley sea turtle	G1	E	S1N	E	SN	E	BW1	R	+
Malaclemys t. terrapin	northern diamondback terrapin	G5T5	C2	S4	U/SC	SU		BW3	S	B
Terrapene c. carolina	eastern box turtle	G5		S4	G (SC)	S5	S	BW4	RD	B
BIRDS										+
Gavia immer	common loon	G5		S3	P/SC	SN	S	BW2	R/S	M/W
Gavia stellata	red-throated loon	G5		SN	P	SN	S	BW2	R/S	M/W
Podiceps auritus	horned grebe	G5		SN	P	SN	S	BW2?	D	M/W
Phalacrocorax auritus	double-crested cormorant	G5		S3	P	SN	INC	BW3	S/S	S/M
Phalacrocorax carbo	great cormorant	G5		SN	P	S1	S	BW3?	S	M/W
Ardea herodias	great blue heron	G5		S5	P	S2	T/S	BW2BW3	R/S	S/M/W
Casmerodius albus	great egret	G5		S2	P	S3	S/S	BW3	S/S	S/M
Egretta caerulea	little blue heron	G5		S2	P	S3	T/S	BW2	R/D	S/M
Egretta thula	snowy egret	G5		S2S3	P	S3	S/S	BW3	D/D	S/M
Ixobrychus exilis	least bittern	G5		S3	P/SC (T)	S3	D/S	BW2	D/D	B/M
Nycticorax violaceus	yellow-crowned night-heron	G5		S2	P	S2	T/T	BW2	RD/RD	B
Nycticorax nycticorax	black-crowned night-heron	G5		S3	P	S3	D/S	BW3	S/S	S/M
Plegadis falcinellus	glossy ibis	G5		S2	P	S3	D/S	BW3	S/S	S/M
Branta canadensis	Canada goose	G5		S5	G	S5		BW5	S/S	S/M/W
Branta bernicla	brant	G5		SN	G	SN		BW4	S	M/W
Chen caerulescens	snow goose	G5		SN	G	SN		BW3	D	M
Anas americana	American wigeon	G5		S3	G	SN		BW3	S	M/W
Anas clypeata	northern shoveler	G5		S2	G	SN		BW2	R/DS	M
Anas crecca	green-winged teal	G5		S3	G	SN		BW2BW3	R/S	M/W
Anas discors	blue-winged teal	G5		S5	G	S5		BW4	R/D	M
Anas platyrhynchos	mallard	G5		S5	G	S5		BW5	S/S	B/M/W
Anas rubripes	American black duck	G4		S4	G	S4		BW4	D/S	B/M/W
Anas strepera	gadwall	G5		S3	G	S5		BW3	R/D	B?/M
Aythya valisineria	canvasback	G5		SN	G	SN		BW3	S	M/W
Aythya marila	greater scaup	G5		SN	G	SN		BW4	S	M/W
Bucephala clangula	common goldeneye	G5		S2	G	SN		BW3	DS	M/W
Bucephala albeola	bufflehead	G5		SN	G	SN		BW4	S	M/W
Clangula hyemalis	oldsquaw	G5		SN	G	SN		BW3		M/W
Lophodytes cucullatus	hooded merganser	G5		S4	G	SN		BW2	RD	M
Melanitta nigra	black scoter	G5		SN	G	SN		BW3?	D	M/W
Melanitta fusca	white-winged scoter	G5		SN	G	SN		BW3?	D	M/W
Melanitta perspicillata	surf scoter	G5		SN	G	SN		BW3?	D	M/W
Mergus serrator	red-breasted merganser	G5		S1S2	G	SN		BW4	S	M/W
Oxyura jamaicensis	ruddy duck	G5		S1	G	SN		BW2	R?/S	M/W
Accipiter cooperii	Cooper's hawk	G4		S4	P/SC	S2	E	BW2	R	M/W
Accipter striatus	sharp-shinned hawk	G5		S4	P (SC)	S1	U/U	BW2	R	M/W
Buteo lineatus	red-shouldered hawk	G5		S4	T (SC)	S2	E/T	BW1	R?/S	M
Buteo lagopus	rough-legged hawk	G5		SN	P	SN	S	BW2?	R	M/W
Buteo platypterus	broad-winged hawk	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW4	R/S	M
Circus cyaneus	northern harrier	G5		S3	T (SC)	S2	E/U	BW1	R/D	M/W
Falco columbarius	merlin	G4		SN	P	SN	S	BW2	D	M/W
Falco peregrinus	peregrine falcon	G3	E (SA)	S2	E	S1	E	BW2	RD/D	B/M/W
Pandion haliaetus	osprey	G5		S4	T (SC)	S3	T/T	BW2	R/S	B/M
Porzana carolina	sora	G5		S4	G	S4		BW3	R/R	M
Rallus elegans	king rail	G4G5		S1	P (T)	S3	U/U	BW1	R/R	B/M
Rallus limicola	Virginia rail	G5		S4	G	S4		BW3	R/R	B/M
Rallus longirostris	clapper rail	G5		S3	P	S5		BW4	S/D	B/M/W
Charadrius melodus	piping plover	G3	T	S2B	E	S1	E	BW2	R/R	B/M
Charadrius semipalmatus	semipalmated plover	G5		SN	P	S?	S	BW3BW4	S	M
Pluvialis squatarola	black-bellied plover	G5		SN	P	SN	S/S	BW3BW4	S	M/W
Haematopus palliatus	American oystercatcher	G5		S3	P	S4	INC/S	BW3	D?/R	B/M
Arenaria interpres	ruddy turnstone	G5		SN	P	SN	S	BW3?	S	M
Calidris alba	sanderling	G5		SN	P	SN	D	BW3?	S	M/W
Calidris alpina	dunlin	G5		SN	P	SN	INC	BW3?	S	M/W
Calidris canutus	red knot	G5		SN	P	SN	D	BW3?	S	M
Calidris minutilla	least sandpiper	G5		SN	P	SN	S	BW3?	S	M
Calidris pusilla	semipalmated sandpiper	G5		SN	P	SN	S	BW3?	S	M
Catoptrophorus semipalmatus	willet	G5		S3	P	S4	INC/S	BW3	S/S	B/M
Larus philadelphia	Bonaparte's gull	G5		SN	P	SN	S	BW3?	S	M/W
Rynchops niger	black skimmer	G5		S2	P (SC)	S2	E	BW3	R/D	B/M
Sterna antillarum	least tern	G4		S3B	E (T)	S2	E	BW1	R/D	B
Sterna forsteri	Forster's tern	G5		S1	P	S3	INC/S	BW3	R/S	S/M
Sterna hirundo	common tern	G5		S3B	T	S3	D/S	BW3	R/S	B/M
Coccyzus americanus	yellow-billed cuckoo	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW4	D/S	B/M
Coccyzus erthropthalmus	black-billed cuckoo	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW3	D/D	B?
Asio flammeus	short-eared owl	G5		S2	P/SC (E)	S1	E/U	BW2	H/D	M/W
Asio otus	long-eared owl	G5		S3	P	S3	T/T	BW2	R?/D	M/W
Tyto alba	common barn-owl	G5		S3	P/SC (P)	S4	S/S	BW3	D/D	B?/M/W
Caprimulgus vociferus	whip-poor-will	G5		S4	P (SC)	S4	D/S	BW3	R/R?	B
Chordeiles minor	common nighthawk	G5		S4	P/SC	S4	S/S	BW3BW4	S?/S	B?
Archilochus colubris	ruby-throated hummingbird	G5		S5	P	S4	D/S	BW4	D/S	M
Chaetura pelagica	chimney swift	G5		S5	P	S5	S/S	BW4BW5	S/S	B
Contopus virens	eastern wood-pewee	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW4	S/S	B/M
Empidonax traillii	willow flycatcher	G5		S5	P	S4	INC/S	BW4	S/S	B/M
Myiarchus crinitus	great crested flycatcher	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW4BW5	S/S	B/M
Tyrannus tyrannus	eastern kingbird	G5		S5	P	S5	D/D	BW4BW5	S/S	B/M
Eremophila alpestris	horned lark	G5		S5	P (SC)	S3	D/S	BW3BW4	R/D	B/M/W
Progne subis	purple martin	G5		S5	P	S4	D/S	BW4	R/D?	B/M
Riparia riparia	bank swallow	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW3BW4	R?/D?	B/M
Steldidopteryx serripennis	northern rough-winged swallow	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW4	D/S	B
Certhia americana	brown creeper	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW3BW4	R/S	M
Cistothorus palustris	marsh wren	G5		S5	P	S4	D/S	BW4	S/S	B/M
Catharus fuscescens	veery	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW4	D/S	M
Catharus guttatus	hermit thrush	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW3	R?/S	M/W
Catharus ustulatus	Swainson's thrush	G5		S5	P	SN	S	BW1	S	M
Hylocichla mustelina	wood thrush	G5		S5	P	S5	S/S	BW4	S/S	B/M
Polioptila caerulea	blue-gray gnatcatcher	G5		S5	P	S4	INC/S	BW4	D/S	B?/M
Sialia sialis	eastern bluebird	G5		S5	P/SC (P)	S4	S	BW4	D/D	B
Dumetella carolinensis	gray catbird	G5		S5	P	S5	S/S	BW5	S/S	B/M
Vireo griseus	white-eyed vireo	G5		S4	P	S4	D/S	BW4	D?/S	B/M
Dendroica caerulescens	black-throated blue warbler	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW3	R/S	M
Dendroica coronata	yellow-rumped warbler	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW2BW3	S	M/W
Dendroica discolor	prairie warbler	G5		S5	P	S5	S/S	BW4BW5	RD/S	M
Dendroica fusca	blackburnian warbler	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW3	S	M
Dendroica magnolia	magnolia warbler	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW3	S	M
Dendroica palmarum	palm warbler	G5		S1	P	SN	S	BW1	S	M
Dendroica striata	blackpoll warbler	G5		S3	P	SN	S	BW1	S	M
Dendroica virens	black-throated green warbler	G5		S5	P	SN	S	BW3	R?/S	M
Helmitheros vermivorus	worm-eating warbler	G5		S4	P	S4	S/S	BW3	D/R?	M
Icteria virens	yellow-breasted chat	G5		S3	P (SC)	S4	D/S	BW3	R/R	B
Mniotilta varia	black-and-white warbler	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW4	D/S	B?/M
Parula americana	northern parula	G5		S3S4	P	S3	P/S	BW1	R/S	M
Seiurus aurocapillus	ovenbird	G5		S5	P	S5	S/S	BW4	S/S	B/M
Seiurus motacilla	Louisiana waterthrush	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW4	R/S	M
Seiurus noveboracensis	northern waterthrush	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW3	R?/S	M
Setophaga ruticilla	American redstart	G5		S5	P	S5	S/S	BW4BW5	DS/S	B/M
Vermivora pinus	blue-winged warbler	G5		S5	P	S4	INC/S	BW4	D/S	M
Vermivora ruficapilla	Nashville warbler	G5		S5	P	S3	S/S	BW3	S	M
Wilsonia canadensis	Canada warbler	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW3	S	M
Piranga olivacea	scarlet tanager	G5		S5	P	S4	S	BW4	S/S	B/M
Pheucticus ludovicianus	rose-breasted grosbeak	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW4	S/S	B/M
Ammodramus caudacutus	sharp-tailed sparrow	G5		S3	P	S4	S/S	BW3	D/D?	B/M
Ammodramus maritimus	seaside sparrow	G4		S2S3	P (SC)	S4	S/S	BW3	S/S	B/M
Junco hyemalis	dark-eyed junco	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW3BW4	S	M/W
Melospiza georgiana	swamp sparrow	G5		S5	P	S4	S/S	BW3BW4	S/S	B/M
Passerculus sandwichensis	savannah sparrow	G5		S5	P	S2	T/T	BW3	D/S	M/W
Pipilo erythrophthalmus	rufous-sided towhee	G5		S5	P	S5	S/S	BW4	S/S	B
Zonotrichia albicollis	white-throated sparrow	G5		S5	P	SN	S/S	BW2	S	M/W
Dolichonyx oryzivorus	bobolink	G5		S5	P	S2	T/T	BW3	R/S	M
Icterus spurius	northern oriole	G5		S5	P	S5	S/S	BW4BW5	S/S	B/M
Sturnella magna	eastern meadowlark	G5		S5	P	S4	D/S	BW3BW4	H?/S	M
Carduelis pinus	pine siskin	G5		S5	P	SN	S	BW1BW2	S	M/W
MAMMALS										+
Balaenoptera borealis	sei whale	G3	E	SZN	E	S?	E	BW2	R	+?
Megaptera novaeangliae	humpback whale	G3	E	SZN	E	SA	E	BW2	R	+
Phocoena phocoena	harbor porpoise	G5		S5	U/SC	SN	U	BW2BW3	R	+
Physeter catodon	sperm whale	G2	E	SN	E	SA	E	BW1?	R	+
Tursiops truncatus	bottle-nosed dolphin	G5		S3	U	SN	S	BW4	R	+
Cystophora cristata	hooded seal	G4		SZ	U	SA	P	BW2?	R?	W
Phoca groenlandica	harp seal	G5		SZ	U	SA	P	BW2?	R?	W
Phoca vitulina	harbor seal	G5		S3	P	SN	S	BW4	D	W
VASCULAR PLANTS										+
Equisetum pratense	meadow horsetail	G5		S2	R	S1	E	BW2	R	+
Pinus virginiana	Virginia pine	G5		S1	E	S5		BW3	R	+
Cyperus lancastriensis	Lancaster flatsedge	G5		NA		S2	E	BW1?	R	+
Cyperus polystachyos var. texensis	coast flatsedge	G5T5		S2	R	S1	E	BW2	R	+
Artemisia campestris ssp. caudata	beach wormwood	G5T4		S4	U	S2		BW3	R	+
Eupatorium leucolepis var. leucolepis	white boneset	G5		S1	E	S5		BW4	R	+?
Viburnum dentatum var. venosum	southern arrowwood	G5T4?		S2	U	S2		BW1?	R	+
Honckenya peploides	seabeach sandwort	G5		C		S2		BW3BW4	R	+
Quercus marilandica	blackjack oak	G5		S3	R	S5		BW5	R	+
Gentiana saponaria	soapwort gentian	G5		S1	R	S3		BW3	R	+
Agastache nepetoides	yellow giant-hyssop	G5		S2S3	U	S2		BW2	R	+
Pycnanthemum verticillatum var. verticillatum	whorled mountain-mint	G5T?		S1	T	NA?		BW1?	R	+
Lythrum hyssopifolia	hyssop loosestrife	G5		S1	R	SX		BW1	R	+
Oenothera laciniata	cut-leaved evening-primrose	G5		S1	U	S4		BW3	R	+
Dicentra eximia	bleeding-heart	G5		S1	E	SH	E	BW1	R	+
Polygonum glaucum	seabeach knotweed	G3		S3	U	S1	E	BW3	R	+
COMMUNITIES and ECOSYSTEMS										+
Marine Intertidal Mudflats		G5		S4	U			BW2?	D	+
Marine Intertidal Gravel/Sand Beach		G5		S5	U	SU		BW5	S	+
Brackish Subtidal Aquatic Bed		G4		S2S3	U	SU		BW3	R	+
Low Salt Marsh		G5		S3S4		S5		BW5	D	+
High Salt Marsh		G5		S4S4		S5		BW5	D	+
Salt Panne		G5		S3		S5		BW4	D	+
Brackish Intertidal Shore		G3G4		S1S2	U			BW2	R	+
Brackish Intertidal Mudflats		G3G4		S1S2	U			BW2	R	+
Brackish Tidal Marsh		G4		S2S3	U	S2?		BW3	R	+
Maritime Interdunal Swales		G3G4		S2	U			BW2	R	+
Floodplain Forest		G4		S2S3	U	S3?		BW2	R	+
Red Maple-Hardwood Swamp		G5		S4S5	U	S5		BW5	S	+
Coastal Dune Woodland		G2G3		S1	U	S1		BW1	R	+
Maritime Oak-Holly Forest		G2G3		S1	U			BW1	R	+
ANIMAL CONCENTRATION AREAS										+
Waterfowl Concentration Area				S3S4				BW4		+

See Appendix I for definition of federal, global, state, and bight watershed (BW) ranks and status
See Urban Core chapter for detailed explanation of urban core (UC) ranks, summarized here:
R = rare, D = uncommon or declining, S = apparently secure, H = historical, U = unknown
Rar. Bay/S.H. Bay column contains codes indicating the status of a species population within the Raritan Bay/S.H. Bay habitat complex :
+ = known to occur in the area; seasonal use not specified; B = breeds in the area; S = regular non-breeding use in the summer
M = migrates through the area and has identifiable migratory stopover or staging areas within the area; W = overwinters in the area
P = primarily pelagic; ? = unconfirmed or questionable occurrence or seasonal use; H = occurred historically in the area; I = introduced

Definitions of ranks used in list

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