Category: Marine Invertebrates e.g. Sea Slugs


Octo-brrr Octopus!

Filed under: Octopus — 8 Comments
October 30, 2011

Image 1: Oct 29, 2011 Giant Pacific Octopus. Photo: Jackie Hildering.

It was 7.2° C (45° F)  in the ocean yesterday. Even in summer, I’ve only experienced a high of about 10° C. 

Typical for Northern Vancouver Island at this time of year, it was also windy enough for us to abort going out for a boat dive.  

Windy, chilly, drizzly, grey . . . what’s a cold-water scuba diver to do?

Get in the cold, dark green water however you can because you KNOW what kind of beauty and wonder are always to be found below the surface, even where you moor your boat! 

And indeed, under the dock, at only 6 m (20′) we found a Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini), curled up on a piling, incredibly tolerant of  this ecstatic marine educator. Octopuses are SUCH intelligent animals.  I felt as much like I was being scrutinized as he/she must have felt as I observed and photographed this awe-inspiring creature.  

This individual was “only” about average size (23 to 42 kg).  They can weigh more than 73 kg!  I promise many more details on this species in future blog items.

Image 2: Oct 29, 2011 Giant Pacific Octopus. Photo: Jackie Hildering.

There was so much other beauty under the dock but, for this blog posting, I will leave it at sharing the wonder of this Octo-brr octopus. 

 Bring on Novem-brrr to Fe-brrr-ary! The cold-water diving is so worth it! 

To see these (and additional) images from this octopus photo-shoot at full size, click here.

I would greatly appreciate it if you would let me know, via blog comments, which image (#1 to 6) you believe is the best. This will determine which image ends up in next year’s WILD Northern Vancouver Island Calendar.


To see video of a Giant Pacific Octopus subtly changing colour and texture, please see this previous blog item. 

Image 3: Oct 29, 2011 Giant Pacific Octopus. Photo: Jackie Hildering.

Image 4: Oct 29, 2011 Giant Pacific Octopus. Photo: Jackie Hildering.

Image 5: Oct 29, 2011 Giant Pacific Octopus. Photo: Jackie Hildering.

Image 6: Oct. 29 Giant Pacific Octopus. Photo: Hildering

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Giant Pacific Octopus – Video

Filed under: Marine Invertebrates e.g. Sea Slugs, Octopus, Video / slideshows — 1 Comment
October 7, 2011
Giant Pacific Octopus subtly changing colour and texture. Video by Erika Grebeldinger.

Remarkable video of a Giant Pacific Octopus juvenile subtly changing texture and colour to better match its surroundings.

When full grown, this species can be over 7 m from arm tip to arm tip and over 73 kg = the biggest species of octopus in the world.

The video was taken by fellow Top Island Econauts Dive Club diver Erika Grebeldinger during one of our dives last month. It is testament to the calibre of her diving and concern for the environment that she was able to “capture” such natural behaviour. It the octopus had been agitated, s/he would have flashed red, postured and/or inked.

Having previously posted this video on Facebook, I love Will Soltau’s observation of how the octopus leaves no footprint and what a different world it would be if we humans were more like octopus in this respect.

Thank you so much for sharing Erika!

Video below added on November 25th, 2011 from You Tube – Octopus walking on land in California at the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.

 

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Humpback Whale Gooseneck Barnacles?!

Filed under: Barnacles, Humpback whales, Marine Invertebrates e.g. Sea Slugs — 7 Comments
May 8, 2011

Come on a journey of discovery with me – from identifying the very big, to the small. 

I’ll tell my tale of through the images below. 

Fluke BCX1188.

Photo: Hildering.

Meet the humpback whale BCX1188 nicknamed “Jigger” for the now faint fish-hook shaped scar on his/her right fluke.

 

Photo: Hildering

When we saw Jigger in 2009, we noted the barnacle growing on the right top of his/her dorsal fin. Such barnacles are a distinct species only found on humpback whales. The humpback whale barnacles is Coronula diadema.

 

Photo: Leah Thorpe

This is one of our flank ID shots from 2009. You’ll note that the humpback whale barnacle on Jigger’s dorsal fin is quite hard to see.

 

BCX1188 right flank 2010

Photo: Hildering

Then, when we saw Jigger in August of 2010, we noted that the dorsal fin looked very different. My partner in humpback research from the Marine Education and Research Society, Christie McMillan, and I were worried that it might be an injury so we tried to get a better photo of the dorsal fin.

 

Photo: Hildering

Here’s what the dorsal fin looked like from the left.  When I had this perspective, I thought that what we were looking at might be seaweed growing on the humpback whale barnacle we had seen the year before (note that the barnacles often do fall off between years).

 

2010 right flank BCX1188

Photo: Hildering

But, it didn’t quite look like seaweed. With patience and good camera lenses, we got a better look.

 

closer right flank 2010 BCX1188

Photo: Hildering

What on Earth?! They’re gooseneck barnacles growing on the humpback whale barnacle!

Gooseneck barnacles are an order of barnacles that are attached to a hard surface by a long stalk that looks like a goose’s neck. They depend on the motion of the water to feed on plankton as they do not have the “foot” (cirri) that rakes in plankton in many other barnacle species.

 

Goose neck barnacles - close

Previous image cropped. Photo: Hildering.

That’s when I learned that there is a species of gooseneck barnacle that most often grows on the humpback whale barnacle!!! The species is Conchoderma auritum.

This is the kind of discovery that causes wonder and euphoria in my world.

To be able to identify a humpback as an individual is already something of great scientific and educational value.

That this attention to an individual whale leads me to learn that there is a species of gooseneck barnacle that grows almost exclusively on a species of barnacle that only grows on humpback whales  = sheer wonder.

I can’t wait to find out what else the humpbacks are going to teach me!

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Big Orange Love – The Orange Peel Nudibranch

Filed under: Sea slugs / Nudibranchs — 6 Comments
February 14, 2011
Sea slug amidst red soft coral.

Orange peel nudibranch feeding on red soft coral. Photo: Hildering

Here’s your Valentine’s blog item. It’s all about Big Orange Love – the reproduction of the orange peel nudibranch (Tochuina tetraquetra).

These sea slugs are very aptly named since their skin is reminiscent of both the texture and vibrant colour of an orange. But, the name does nothing to indicate the size to which these giants can grow. They are one of the world’s largest sea slugs with literature reporting them to lengths of up to 30 cm. However, I swear I have seen them larger in our area and will strive to get the photographic proof.

As if this sea slug species’ colour, size and beautifully intricate white gills are not enough to create awe, you should see their eggs! I will never forget the first time I saw the huge tubular mass that looked like udon noodles. I think my brain almost exploded and I was propelled all the more feverishly on my “The Marine Detective” path, wanting to be able to identify the egg masses of all sea slugs in our waters (each species’ eggs look different).

This is the time of year when the orange peel nudibranchs mate and lay eggs.

It’s all to be seen on my “Big Orange Love” slideshow at this link.

More on sea slugs and their eggs in previous blog postings at this link (scroll down).


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Wonder Worm

Filed under: Marine Invertebrates e.g. Sea Slugs, marine worms — 8 Comments
January 10, 2011

January 9th, 2011

While diving in the Plumper Island Group near Telegraph Cove, British Columbia, I chanced upon a white-ringed ribbon worm (Tubulanus albocinctus) fully out in the open. This is the first time I have been able to see the whole animal and marvelled at it’s length and colour. This “specimen” that I filmed was more than 1 metre long.  Apparently, they can reach 6 metres in length!

White-ringed ribbon worm found at about 30' (10m). Photo: Hildering

 

Ribbon worms have unsegmented bodies but what sets them apart from all other worm species is that they have a “proboscis”. The proboscis is a part of their gut that can be launched out to wrap around prey and then retract pulling the prey into the ribbon worm’s mouth.  Venom may also be associated with the proboscis. The white-ringed ribbon worm may prey on segmented worms, small crustaceans and maybe even some small fish. The proboscis can also be used for digging.

In the video clip (link below) you will see how the animal moves with powerful waves of muscular contraction (peristalsis). Small hairs called cilia also help it glide along.

In trying to find some basic facts about this species’ natural history, I discovered that very little is known about it even though it quite common in the Pacific Northeast. Although not able to find research to support this, I believe that the animal’s bright colour is a warning to predators that it tastes bad or is toxic.

I assure you I will be on the lookout for this wonder worm to try to learn more (I would love to see the proboscis in action)!

See the short video clip (30 sec) of my white-ringed ribbon worm encounter at this link.

More on ribbon worms at this link (includes a diagram of the internal anatomy).

Update January 12: A neighbour, Graham MacDonald, shared his observations of white-lined ribbon worms preying on rockweed isopods on a local sandy beach. He has repeatedly observed a black structure extending from the worm to the isopod and moving around on the isopod (likely the probosis). He noted that it appeared that the isopod was suffering (due to toxin or digestive juices?) and that it was a prolonged process. I will definitely be going to sandy beaches to see if I can capture this on film. Thank you Graham.

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They’re Back . . . Hooded Nudibranchs

Filed under: Sea slugs / Nudibranchs — 14 Comments
September 7, 2010

In late August, some of my Young Naturalists alerted me that they had already seen hooded nudibranchs (Melibe leonina) around Port Hardy (B.C., CANADA).

[It so wonderful that these local children know and greatly appreciate nudibranchs.]

Late August is earlier than we historically have seen the hooded sea slugs gather in large numbers. Usually this happens in late September / early October with them beginning to lay eggs in the spring.

Hooded nudibranchs back in very large numbers. Late August 2010.

This week, I had the opportunity to check how many are already in the area and, it’s official – the hooded nudibranchs are very much back.

To see the video from today, click here   (2-minute video).

For explanations on the natural history of hooded nudibranchs, please see my previous blog postings from April 10th, 2010 and May 2nd, 2010.

Update March 2011 - Eggs masses everywhere! Abundance of hooded nudibranchs still awe-inspiring. See images below for eggs masses.

Hooded nudibranch egg masses (March 2011). Each mass is about 1 cm high. Each little white dot is an egg.

 

Hooded nudibranch egg masses (March 2011).

 


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Mystery Organism – A Jellyfish With a Stalk?!

Filed under: Jellies, Mystery — 4 Comments
September 4, 2010

This is a Marine Detective case for those of you who appreciate the mini-mysteries as much as the whale wonders.

Gillian Butler and Erin Paul of Pacific Northwest Expeditions discovered this remarkable invertebrate in August, off their kayak base camp in Johnstone Strait, north-eastern Vancouver Island.

I was thrilled to get the “What’s this?” email from them as this is an organism I know is in our ocean but that I have never been able to find!

It is a jellyfish that is only 3 cm wide and is usually attached to kelp . . . by it’s stalk!

Stalked Jellyfish - photo by Gillian Butler

Yes, it is a stalked jellyfish (stauromedusae) that is known by the common name the “oval-anchored stalked jelly” (Haliclystus salpinx).

Stalked jellies never become free-swimming, bell-shaped “medusa” like most jellyfish species. Their stalk is sticky allowing them to attach to eel grass, seaweed or rocks in the shallows.  They have 8 “arms” that look like they have pom-poms at their ends.  These clusters of 30-100 tentacles have stinging cells so that the stalked jelly can catch small crustaceans and bring this food to their mouth (positioned at the centre of the 8 arms).

Only about 50 species of stalked jelly had been discovered worldwide but, recently, new extremely deep-dwelling species been discovered around hydrothermal vents.

They are remarkably mobile which you will see in the Lester B. Pearson College video at the link below. If the stalk becomes detached, the animal can hold on with its tentacles till it reattaches its stalk. The student video will also allow you to see the base of the stalk and how the arms can close up.

Click here for the 2-minute video to truly see how remarkable this organism is (no audio).

Thank you Gillian and Erin!


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“Exquisite Handiwork” – Sea Slug Eggs

Filed under: Sea slugs / Nudibranchs — 5 Comments
August 29, 2010

“Some of nature’s most exquisite handiwork is on a miniature scale, as anyone knows who has applied a magnifying glass to a snowflake.“

I was reminded of this Rachel Carson quote today when diving but found myself changing the ending to ” . . . as anyone knows who has seen sea slug egg masses.”

The image here is the egg mass of the Pacific sea lemon (Peltodoris nobilis), a sea slug up to 20+ cm; it’s egg mass up to some 20 cm as well.

The egg mass is the result of the sea lemons lining up right-side-to-right-side and both becoming fertilized. Being a hermaphrodite is of course a good design when you are a slow-moving slug that relies on smell to find its way.  More detailed information about sea slug mating can be found at this previous TMD blog entry.

Looking like rich, textured crocheting, the egg mass is indeed Nature’s exquisite handiwork.  It’s intricacy rivals that of any spider’s web and, in my perception, surpasses any human nanotechnology.

Seeing such beauty serves as testimony of Nature’s perfection and complexity. How we humans are newcomers to it all, unable to truly grasp the billions of years of design that proceeded our walking upright on earth. It should further motivate us all to walk with much smaller footprints so that we do not blunder and crush the systems that are Nature’s exquisite handiwork.

Follow the link below for images showing a close-up on the egg mass allowing you to see the individual eggs; the mating of the sea lemons; the egg laying and predation by a leather star. Click here.

Note: The sea lemon is often mistaken for other dorid species such as the Monterey dorid.  The easiest way to ID them correctly is to know that sea lemons have white gills.

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Come Away With Me

Filed under: Biodiversity (Dive With Me), Marine birds, Marine Invertebrates e.g. Sea Slugs, Sea lions, Video / slideshows — 7 Comments
August 15, 2010

Come on. You know you want to, just for 3 minutes.

Come on the dives I did today.

The little slide show I have put together, is a testimony to the grand, jaw-dropping biodiversity of this area (Northern Vancouver Island, B,C., CANADA).

The Minke whale we saw, the fish using a sponge as a hammock, the bald eagle chick that took one of its first flights – all these are animals that I have learned from by knowing a small part of the world’s ocean well enough to be able to recognize individual animals.

Such a privilege and such a joy to share with you.

Come away with me . . . . click here.

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Sea Spiders?!

Filed under: Marine Invertebrates e.g. Sea Slugs — 7 Comments
June 27, 2010

Yes – there are spider-like animals in the ocean!

Globally, more than 1300 species have been identified.

But, even though they are jointed-legged invertebrates (arthropods) and most do have 8 legs, they are not true spiders. They are a special group of arthropods called the Pycnogonida. They have a mouth part called a probisis, a flexible tube that they use to mix digestive chemicals with their food and then suck it up.

Some species have additional leg-like appendages near their mouths. Often only the male has these structures so that they can take care of the eggs by carrying them.

"Sea spiders" grazing on red soft coral

The species in the image to the right is one of these locals and these animals are only about  about 1 cm across.  They have been given the common name “yellow hairy sea spider” (Tanystylum anthomasti).  The hairy parts are believed to help the animals feel and sense chemicals.

I have only ever seen this sea spider on red soft coral colonies (Gersimia rubiformis), as you see in this picture. They appear to feed (graze) on the bushy polyps of the soft coral.

One of the things I find fascinating about sea spiders is that they have a very thin external skeleton (exoskeleton) and as a result don’t need a respiratory system; they can “breath” through their skins.

The pictures at the following link let you get a better look at them and at how the soft coral is grazed - click here!

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