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canetoad

(18,121 posts)
Thu Oct 19, 2023, 10:36 PM Oct 2023

Do you live under a rock or something?

Actually, yes.

Just like terrestrial life, the critters of the intertidal zone live by the seasons. It's spring here in Oz and i'm seeing all sorts of sea creatures emerge, or lay eggs. I've found a spot that seems to be a breeding ground for sea stars. There are several interesting varieties under the rocks including the first three below. These are unusual for this area - they have the skin and texture of the eight-pointed carpet star (which also live here) but they have five distinct points.





All three are about the same size. The flesh coloured one is eerie. Despite searching, I cannot identify these stars and wonder if I've stumbled on hybrids. I found this article on Phys.Org. Scientists find evidence of sea star species hybridization

This is a tiny 'Splitting Star' (Coscinasterias muricata). Fully grown they can be around 15" across and have 10-15 arms. When it feels like reproducing it breaks off a bit of itself which grows into a new star. How cool!



This is a tiny ascidian - a sea squirt. It has two squirty holes - top right and lower down. They can go through life un-noticed; as they grow they collect a camouflage of weed and algae.



An egg case of some sort. I suspect some kind of shellfish but really don't know. Very small - the whole spiral is less than 1" across. It is like a tape, standing on edge.



I don't often see anemones of this size and colour. Pretty spectacular.



And finally - the guardian of the rocks, my intrepid assistant, Gibby.



20 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Do you live under a rock or something? (Original Post) canetoad Oct 2023 OP
Beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing. n/t TygrBright Oct 2023 #1
Thanks Tygr canetoad Oct 2023 #2
Interesting sea creatures! 2naSalit Oct 2023 #3
You're welcome canetoad Oct 2023 #4
Great pics, wonderful! DaBronx Oct 2023 #5
Rough coat Jack Russell terrier canetoad Oct 2023 #6
Very Cool! Solly Mack Oct 2023 #7
ah, cousin ascidian Kali Oct 2023 #8
I just realized as I read your post, that's why Patrick's home is just a rock in Sponge Bob. captain queeg Oct 2023 #9
I didn't know who Patrick is canetoad Oct 2023 #10
Are you serious about searching for Patrick that way? captain queeg Oct 2023 #11
I wasn't actually searching for Patrick canetoad Oct 2023 #12
Very cool jfz9580m Oct 2023 #13
It is! canetoad Oct 2023 #14
Thanks for posting jfz9580m Oct 2023 #15
Sis Flying Fox Oct 2023 #16
Is that you??? canetoad Oct 2023 #17
These are still so cool jfz9580m Feb 2024 #18
Thanks jfz9580m canetoad Feb 2024 #19
You would like "Rock Scum" then :) jfz9580m Feb 2024 #20

2naSalit

(92,667 posts)
3. Interesting sea creatures!
Thu Oct 19, 2023, 10:41 PM
Oct 2023

And colorful.

Springtime is always full of wonders.

Thanks for the pictures.

canetoad

(18,121 posts)
4. You're welcome
Thu Oct 19, 2023, 10:44 PM
Oct 2023

It's such a chore to spend a couple of hours at the beach with my dog and camera ....NOT.

canetoad

(18,121 posts)
6. Rough coat Jack Russell terrier
Thu Oct 19, 2023, 10:57 PM
Oct 2023

She's a bit on the small side but makes up for it in personality!

Kali

(55,735 posts)
8. ah, cousin ascidian
Thu Oct 19, 2023, 11:32 PM
Oct 2023

love the intertidal zone. I do love where I live but it is too dang far from the shore.

captain queeg

(11,780 posts)
9. I just realized as I read your post, that's why Patrick's home is just a rock in Sponge Bob.
Fri Oct 20, 2023, 12:09 AM
Oct 2023

And I’d read recently why a lot of the homes shown in Bikini Bottom look like they do; they are mufflers/exhausts from old cars which I guess is fairly common on the sea floor and become home to all kinds of sea critters.

canetoad

(18,121 posts)
10. I didn't know who Patrick is
Fri Oct 20, 2023, 12:44 AM
Oct 2023

Until I started searching images for "smooth, orange, five point sea star". I found Patrick!

I've learned a technique for finding this stuff; if you can get your fingertips under a flat rock, it usually can be tilted up on one edge even if it's quite large. Then you need to look at both the space underneath but also at what's clinging to the bottom of the rock.

I've just watched a video about Osborne Reef of Fort Lauderdale. They might have had good intentions but what a disaster.

captain queeg

(11,780 posts)
11. Are you serious about searching for Patrick that way?
Fri Oct 20, 2023, 01:48 AM
Oct 2023

I’d never heard of the Osborne reef. Sounds like something they theorized about and moved right into full scale operation without doing enough research. Seems like man does a lot of that kind of stuff. But it did make we think about the huge tire beach that used to be near Cleveland OH. It was a huge eyesore and they couldn’t figure out how to get rid of all those tires. It’s not there anymore and I never heard what they did with all those tires. Now I wonder if they were shipped off Fla for the Osborne reef.

canetoad

(18,121 posts)
12. I wasn't actually searching for Patrick
Fri Oct 20, 2023, 02:09 AM
Oct 2023

Just punching in a description of the stars I wanted to identify, hoping it would turn up an image. Patrick was a bonus!

canetoad

(18,121 posts)
14. It is!
Wed Oct 25, 2023, 10:06 PM
Oct 2023

I haven't fully come to terms with the number and variety of sea squirts we have here. The most visible are the cunjevoy - hoary big things that need to be covered by water most of the time.

The llittle guys pictured below appeared, out of the blue, in a sheltered rockpool very close inshore. I watched and photographed them for about two years as they grew. One day, after a really wild and wicked round of weather they had vanished. Maybe they are not even ascidians. So much to learn.....

jfz9580m

(15,488 posts)
15. Thanks for posting
Wed Oct 25, 2023, 11:35 PM
Oct 2023

Really cool pics..I know nothing of it, but it is interesting. I agree..so much to learn.
That is unfortunate that they got washed away after two years.

I use Birdnet for birds, Plantnet for plants and just lately have been trying Seek to identify other wildlife. So maybe there is a decent app out there you can use to find out what those are?

I like your handle. We have been having unseasonally heavy rains where I live and my garden has acquired a bullfrog as a result. I like to hear the little guy croak away on rainy nights. I wonder what the family of mongooses also living in my garden make of their new neighbor .

canetoad

(18,121 posts)
17. Is that you???
Fri Oct 27, 2023, 04:38 AM
Oct 2023

How the hell are you going sis? Glad you eventually got around to posting here. How'd you find me?

jfz9580m

(15,488 posts)
18. These are still so cool
Sun Feb 4, 2024, 02:59 AM
Feb 2024

I thought of this thread when I read this last week:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/jan/25/tiny-frog-lives-whole-life-inside-one-plant-brazilian-mountain-aoe

If we weren’t damn near driving everything to extinction to make room for more ugly malls and food courts (selling us shit we don’t want or need to paraphrase Tyler Durden -and at the expense of both the environment and labor rights), we would see that…

canetoad

(18,121 posts)
19. Thanks jfz9580m
Mon Feb 5, 2024, 11:22 PM
Feb 2024

I really hear you. In a way I feel pity for those who can't see the intrinsic beauty or value in some of our colourful slimes, jellies and marine creatures - any creatures or living things on land or sea.

Your post reminded me to get moving and get together a post of some more intertidal critters which should be up soon.

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