One of the most thriving and diverse animal communities of Cabrillo National Monument is located in the intertidal zone and tide pools. The species that live in the tide pools include coralline algae, chitons, true limpets, acorn barnacles ("Sessilia"), goose neck barnacles, rock louse, sea lettuce, kelp fly ("Coelopa frigida" or seaweed fly), pink thatched barnacles, encrusting algae, periwinkles, mussels ("Mytilus californianus)", dead man's fingers ("Codium fragile"), sea bubbles, unicorn snail (Acanthina spirata), anemones, "Tegula" top snails, sculpin, aggregating anemone, sandcastle worms, hermit crabs, rockweed ("Silvetia fastigiata"), wavy turban snails ("Turbo fluctuosus"), keyhole limpet (Fissurellidae), brittle star, surfgrass, surfgrass limpet, kelp crab, garibaldi, sea hare, opaleye, bat star, knobby blue star, sea urchin, sargassum weed, feather boa kelp, octopus, chestnut cowry, sea palm, ruddy turnstone, and lined shore crab. The Monument advises that the best time to see the tide pools is in the late fall or winter, when tides are rated at negative one or lower during daylight hours.