A question for the experts

Fish & Invertebrate sightings and descriptions, hosted by resident NWDC ID expert Janna Nichols (nwscubamom).
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Dusty2
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A question for the experts

Post by Dusty2 »

This little guy looks like he's wearing headphones but the question is... Is this reproduction or predation?
4102net.jpg
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Chevayea
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Re: A question for the experts

Post by Chevayea »

The headphones are snails right? But the odd nodules in the sea squirt are something I haven't seen before. Man Dusty2, you always come up with some great finds.
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nwscubamom
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Re: A question for the experts

Post by nwscubamom »

Boy that's weird! It's a Shiny Orange Sea Squirt, but not sure what the bumpies are. And yeah, it looks like the headphones are snails.

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Greg Jensen
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Re: A question for the experts

Post by Greg Jensen »

The snails are spiral velvet snails, Velutina velutina, which feed on solitary ascidians and deposit their eggs in the tunic of the ascidians. So the white nodules are probably their eggs, but this isn't their usual prey species- they're normally associated with Styela.
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Dusty2
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Re: A question for the experts

Post by Dusty2 »

Thanks for the research Greg, Another picture for my unusual sightings file. :clap: :clap:

Wish they would go pick on Styela_clava and leave the orange guys alone!
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Huskychemist
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Re: A question for the experts

Post by Huskychemist »

Dusty2 wrote:Thanks for the research Greg, Another picture for my unusual sightings file. :clap: :clap:

Wish they would go pick on Styela clava and leave the orange guys alone!

Just curious...what do you have against the Styela clava...sicking predators on them? Hehehe...



Very cool picture, by the way. Thanks for sharing, and thanks Greg for the information.
Happy Diving!

Lowell, aka Huskychemist

http://scuba.huskychemist.org
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