Hoeke, Jackson Tyler2020-09-292020-09-292020https://hdl.handle.net/1794/25759162 pagesIntroduced species are among the greatest environmental threats to biodiversity today. Compounding this threat is the lack of taxonomy and systematics surrounding many invertebrate groups, making identification of non-native species difficult if not impossible. One of these often-understudied taxa is hydroids. Due to their small size, cryptic nature, and perceived difficulties in identification, hydroids are easy to overlook; even when seen, they are often ignored. In this study, 35 species of hydroids from 15 families were collected from the waters in and near Coos County, Oregon and identified to species level. Of these species, 1 was found to be introduced, 2 species were found to be cryptogenic, and 10 species were new records for Oregon waters. These data mark a significant step forward in understanding Oregon’s hydroid diversity and in recognizing the scale of bioinvasions occurring in the region and the hazards they pose.en-USMarine BiologyHydroidCnidariaInvasionTaxonomyBiodiversityHydrozoaThesis/Dissertation