Species ID Cards

Use VS Species ID Cards to find out whether a certain native or invasive species lives in your community. Provide Species Experts with the written and visual evidence they need to confirm your identification!

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Freshwater ID Cards

Invasive species
Native species

Coastal ID Cards

Invasive species
Native species

Upland ID Cards

Invasive species
Native species

Freshwater Invasive Species Cards

Submerged plants

Brazilian waterweed, Egeria densa
Curly leaf pondweed, Potamogeton crispus
Eurasian watermilfoil, Myriophyllum spicatum
European naiad, Najas minor
Fanwort, Cabomba caroliniana
Hydrilla, Hydrilla verticillata
Variable watermilfoil, Myriophyllum heterophyllum

Floating-leaved plants

Giant salvinia, Salvinia molesta
Water chestnut, Trapa natans
Yellow floating heart, Nymphoides peltata

Algae

Rock snot, Didymosphenia geminata

Macroinvertebrates

Chinese mystery snail, Cipangopaludina chinensis

Crab

Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis

Crayfish

Crayfish, unidentified

Freshwater Native Species Cards

Submerged plants

Common bladderwort, Utricularia macrorhiza
Coontail, Ceratophyllum demersum
Prickly hornwort, Ceratophyllum echinatum
Slender naiad, Najas flexilis
Clasping leaf pondweed, Potamogeton richardsonii

Floating-leaved plants

Spatterdock, Nuphar variegata
Little floating heart, Nymphoides cordata

Emergent plants

Narrow-leaved cattail, Typha angustifolia
Broad-leaved cattail, Typha latifolia

Macroinvertebrates

Macroinvertebrate Identification Sheet(Use this sheet for easy identification in the field. It works well as a species card companion or on its own.)

Sensitive to Pollution

caddisfly larva, Trichoptera
dobsonfly larva, Megaloptera
mayfly larva, Ephemeroptera
Gilled snails - See the Macroinvertebrate Identification Sheet
riffle beetle, Coleoptera
stonefly larva, Plecoptera
water penny, Coleoptera

Somewhat Tolerant of Pollution

cranefly, Diptera
crayfish, unidentified
damselfly nymph, Zygoptera
dragonfly nymph, Anisoptera
scud, Gammaridea (Amphipod)
sowbug, Isopoda
Fishfly - See the Macroinvertebrate Identification Sheet
alderfly, Megaloptera
watersnipe fly, Diptera

Tolerant of Pollution

tubifex worm, Oligochaetae
black fly larva, Simuliidae
leech, Hirudinea
planarian flatworm, Planariidae
mosquito, Diptera
water scorpion, Nepidae
midge, Diptera
Pouch snails - See the Macroinvertebrate Identification Sheet

Fairy shrimp, Eubranchipus spp.NEW with field mission!

Crayfish

Crayfish, unidentified

Coastal Invasive Species Cards

Algae

Asian red algae, Heterosiphonia japonica
Dead man's fingers, Codium fragileUPDATED (thanks to Massabesic students!)

Bryozoans

Lacy crust bryozoan, Membranipora membranacea

Tunicates

Orange sheath tunicate, Botrylloides violaceus
Leathery sea squirt, Stylea clavaNew!

Crabs

Green crab, Carcinus maenasUPDATED (thanks to Massabesic students!)
Hairy-clawed shore crab, Hemigrapsus penicillatus
Asian shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus
Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis

Mollusks

Common periwinkle, Littorina littorea
Rapa whelk, Rapana venosa

Plants

Beach rose, Rosa rugosaUPDATED (thanks to Massabesic students!)
Perennial pepperweed, Lepidium latifoliumBrand NEW with field mission!

NON-NATIVE TO MAINE

Sea potato, Colpomenia peregrinaNEW with field mission!

Coastal Native Species Cards

Algae

Knotted wrack, Ascophyllum nodosum
Bladder wrack, Fucus vesiculosus
Sea cauliflower, Leathesia marinaNEW with field mission!

Crustaceans

American lobster, Homarus americanus
Jonah crab, Cancer borealisUPDATED (thanks to Massabesic students!)
Rock crab, Cancer irroratusUPDATED (thanks to Massabesic students!)

Mollusks

Smooth periwinkle, Littorina obtusata
Rough periwinkle, Littorina saxatilis

Echinoderms

Forbes sea star, Asterias forbesiNEW with field mission!
Northern sea star, Asterias rubensNEW with field mission!

Plants

Beach pea, Lathyrus japonicus
Pickleweed, Salicornia depressa
Salt Hay, Spartina patens
Smooth Cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora

Upland Invasive Species Cards

Plants

Bamboo grass, Microstegium vimineum
Beach rose, Rosa rugosa
Bittersweet nightshade, Solanum dulcamara
Black swallowwort, Cynanchum louiseae
Burning bush, Euonymus alatus
Common buckthorn, Rhamnus cathartica
Common reed, Phragmites australis
Crownvetch, Securigera variaNEW!
Garlic mustard, Alliaria petiolata
Giant hogweed, Heracleum mantegazzianum
Giant knotweed, Fallopia sachalinensis
Glossy buckthorn, Frangula alnus
Goutweed, Aegopodium podagraria L.
Japanese barberry, Berberis thunbergii
Japanese knotweed, Fallopia japonica
Japanese knotweed, Fallopia japonica, WINTER ID
Lupine, Lupinus polyphyllus
Mile-a-minute weed, Polygonun perfoliatum
Morrow's honeysuckle, Lonicera morrowii
Multiflora rose, Rosa multiflora
Oriental bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculatus
Porcelain-berry, Ampelopsis brevipedunculat
Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria, Spring/Summer ID
Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria, Fall/Winter ID

Invertebrates

Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis
Hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae
Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica
Red pine scale, Matsucoccus matsumuraeNEW with field mission!
Winter moth, Operophtera brumata

NON-NATIVE TO MAINE

Galerucella beetle, Galerucella
Gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar

Upland Native Species Cards

Plants

American bittersweet, Celastrus scandens
Balsam poplar, Populus balsamifera
Beach pea, Lathyrus japonicus
Black spruce, Picea mariana
Blue-bead lily, Clintonia borealis
Broad-leaved cattail, Typha latifolia
Bunchberry, Cornus canadensisUPDATED (thanks to Massabesic students!)
Bush honeysuckle, Diervilla lonicera
Canadian yew, Taxus canadensis
Choke cherry, Prunus virginiana
Common barberry, Berberis vulgaris L.
Cow parsnip, Heracleum maximum
Eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis
Gray birch, Betula populifolia
Highbush blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosumUPDATED (thanks to Massabesic students!)
Highbush cranberry, Viburnum trilobumUPDATED (thanks to Massabesic students!)
Lowbush blueberry, Vaccinium angustifoliumUPDATED (thanks to Massabesic students!)
Maple-leaf viburnum, Viburnum acerfolium
Meadow rose, Rosa blanda
Milkweed, Asclepias syriacaUPDATED (thanks to Massabesic students!)
Narrow-leaved cattail, Typha angustifolia
Northern bayberry, Myrica pensylvanica
Pitch pine, Pinus rigida
Pussy willow, Salix discolor
Queen Anne's lace, Daucus carotaUPDATED (thanks to Massabesic students!)
Red columbine, Aquilegia canadensis
Red maple, Acer rubrum
Red pine, Pinus resinosaUPDATED (thanks to Massabesic students!)
Redtwig dogwood, Cornus sericea
Sea lavender, Limonium carolinianum
Sensitive fern, Onoclea sensibilis
Sheep laurel, Kalmia angustifolia
Spotted touch-me-not (jewelweed), Impatiens capensis
Staghorn sumac, Rhus hirta
Sweet fern, Comptonia peregrinaUPDATED (thanks to Massabesic students!)
Tamarack, Larix laricina
White birch, Betula papyrifera
White pine, Pinus strobus
Wild geranium, Geranium maculatum
Winterberry, Ilex verticillata
Wintergreen, Gaultheria procumbens
Yellow birch, Betula alleghaniensisUPDATED (thanks to Massabesic students!)

Invertebrates

Firefly, Lampyridae
White spotted sawyer, Monochamus scutellatus

Amphibians

Spotted salamander, Ambystoma maculatum NEW with field mission!
Wood frog, Rana sylvatica NEW with field mission!