What are these!

GillyWeed · Post by **GillyWeed** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 7:48 am

Ok I should know this one.. But the name escapes me.. Thought at first it was a ronquil but then looking at the pictures I realized I saw a ronquill at Redondo on Monday but didn't get a picture of it. I did get a picture of this guy though..

<img src="http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p131 ... nquill.jpg">

And this thing! It swam around us (there were lots of them) at a break neck speed and seemed to not really have a plan. The picture isn't really good but they seemed to have a white head (I say that was it's head because that was the part movinging forward) with a redish pink tail. I am assuming they are a young of some sort because they really swam around like they were just so amazed to be alive... no plan no regard for their own safety.. Kind of like kids. I think there was some sort of mouth at the top of the white head.. But it was really hard to get a good look because they were going so fast. They would head straight for mine or Jared's mask and bump into us.. They look like and alien thing... Like they might be found poping out of some guys stomach in space or something...

<img src="http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p131 ... nthing.jpg">

Oh and they wiggled... they didn't swim straight out.. more eel like... Help!

John Rawlings · Post by **John Rawlings** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 8:07 am

Your top photo looks like a Blackbelly Eelpout. here's a link to another ID photo, unfortunately NOT showing the tail:

http://seahorsediveclub.com/Kens%20Crit ... 20Critters

And here's a link to a couple of photos that Tom Nic took at Redondo that he posted in our "The Eyes Have It!" game in the NWDC Critter Watcher section, (scroll about 2/3 down the page):

http://www.nwdiveclub.com/viewtopic.php ... c&start=60

As for your bottom photo......???? Looks like a worm of some kind, but I'm not really "up" on worms! Janna? Valerie? Anyone have their books handy and able to turn to the worm pages?

- John

Tom Nic · Post by **Tom Nic** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:10 am

Bassman and I ran into one of these at the end of our night dive at Three Tree North last night. It came straight at us as we were wading in the shallows and was fast as blazes! It moved in an undulating / wriggling fashion, and was definitely attracted to our lights! Kind of creepy actually, and had us wondering for a second about the worm proof nature of our dry suits!

I took some video of it that I will have to edit down... kind of like the first video I took of a young wolf eel coming right up to us poking between our legs

and through our hoses and around our head looking for a hand out! Kind of fun and initially spooky all at the same time when you've never had the experience before! :rr:

coachrenz · Post by **coachrenz** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:31 am

The fish is a black belly eelpout Lycodes pacificus and the worm looks like an arrow worm. It is a bit hard to tell, but the shape is pretty close.

The arrow worms are often more clear but I found one online that is about the same coloration as yours. It doesn't have the paddles so that eliminates the polychaete from a choice and the polychaete are the ones that are most often seen swimming.

Tim

Huskychemist · Post by **Huskychemist** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:29 am

coachrenz wrote:The fish is a black belly eelpout Lycodes pacificus and the worm looks like an arrow worm. It is a bit hard to tell, but the shape is pretty close.

The arrow worms are often more clear but I found one online that is about the same coloration as yours. It doesn't have the paddles so that eliminates the polychaete from a choice and the polychaete are the ones that are most often seen swimming.

Tim

Tim, I don't think it's an arrow worm...I think it's one of the polychaetes that swim around really fast. I just think you can't see the appendages in the picture.

My thoughts, anyway...

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:01 pm

Huskychemist wrote:
Tim, I don't think it's an arrow worm...I think it's one of the polychaetes that swim around really fast.
My thoughts, anyway...

I agree with Lowell; I've seen those worms before (creepy when they fly into you and your light) at Redondo and thought they were polychaetes too.

-Valerie (FWIW)

Tom Nic · Post by **Tom Nic** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:09 pm

They definitely are fringed with a kind of "cilia" (I think that's the right word?) in a circle around the fringe of their bodies by which they swim. Fast little buggers, and creepy at night!

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:34 pm

Those are actually parasites that come into your hood and enter your ear. They're also extremely attracted to p-valves and, for obvious reasons, prefer wetsuit divers to drysuit divers due to the increased entry locations. They're incredibly nimble and can make their way up a wetsuit without the diver being aware of their presence.

Their Latin name is "ichyus wormus inorficious"

From all the descriptions they remind me of leeches... just the thought of them makes my skin crawl. Anything that quietly sucks my blood like a leech or misquito just gives me the heebie jeebies!

coachrenz · Post by **coachrenz** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:52 pm

I am glad that Valerie and Lowell disagree with me, but, in that particular picture, I just don't see the paddle like appendages that would put it into the polychaetes class.

I, too, have seen the swimming polychaetes. They have paddles for appendages, not cillia.

I disagreed with myself on the Arrow worm, but, after looking up some pictures, I found one that looked really close to Holly's. Check out the picture of this http://www.livescience.com/php/multimed ... 715&gid=46 found at livescience.com.

Granted a better picture would be helpful.

I will change my ID to Unidentified worm. And that is my final word. So, there!

GillyWeed · Post by **GillyWeed** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 1:22 pm

Sounder you're not serious right? RIGHT?!?

Sorry Tim but your picture of the worm looks NOTHING (other than being long and skinny) like my alien creature. I would have liked to have gotten a better picture too but they move to damn fast. They kind of look like a parasite.. gulp. That's why they are so freaky and scary.

Does anyone have a good picture of this polychaetes creature?

Tom Nic · Post by **Tom Nic** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 1:39 pm

GillyWeed wrote:Sounder you're not serious right? RIGHT?!?

BwaHaHaHaHA.....

Actually truth can be stranger than fiction, such as the parasite in the Amazon that travels up a urine stream and embeds itself in the unfortunate victim!

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 1:47 pm

Tom Nic wrote:
GillyWeed wrote:Sounder you're not serious right? RIGHT?!?

BwaHaHaHaHA.....

Actually truth can be stranger than fiction, such as the parasite in the Amazon that travels up a urine stream and embeds itself in the unfortunate victim!

Makes a kidney stone sound down-right fun!

GillyWeed · Post by **GillyWeed** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 2:24 pm

Tom Nic wrote:
GillyWeed wrote:
Sounder you're not serious right? RIGHT?!?

BwaHaHaHaHA.....

Actually truth can be stranger than fiction, such as the parasite in the Amazon that travels up a urine stream and embeds itself in the unfortunate victim!

Makes a kidney stone sound down-right fun!

I heard about the parasite in the amazon.. We don't have anything like that in the ol PS though right?

Tom Nic · Post by **Tom Nic** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 2:45 pm

GillyWeed wrote:
Tom Nic wrote:
GillyWeed wrote:
Sounder you're not serious right? RIGHT?!?

BwaHaHaHaHA.....

Actually truth can be stranger than fiction, such as the parasite in the Amazon that travels up a urine stream and embeds itself in the unfortunate victim!

Makes a kidney stone sound down-right fun!

I heard about the parasite in the amazon.. We don't have anything like that in the ol PS though right?

If we did, that would be the one thing that could make me give up diving! ...or wear steel underwear ...or never pee in the water ...or ....

BASSMAN · Post by **BASSMAN** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 6:02 pm

Ha,Ha,Ha You should of seen Tom and I jumpin' around as this thing squirmed toward us and litterally through our legs!
It realy seemed to enjoy our lights and would not leave us alone.
Yes there was that certain uncertainness that made us wonde,r how much would the dry suit protect us?

Gilly, you seem a little paranoid.

It was about 6 or 7 inches long and fast!

GillyWeed · Post by **GillyWeed** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 7:34 am

Who ME? Paranoid nah....

What was that?

Oh huh huh.. just someone at work coming in the door..

BASSMAN · Post by **BASSMAN** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 8:37 am

Holly,
Did I mention how much I like your Avitar?

But shouldn't it be a blond dive girl?

GillyWeed · Post by **GillyWeed** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 8:55 am

Thanks Bassman.. But as a typical girl, I change my hair color almost as much as my shoes.. So no.. I am a brunette.. =)

BASSMAN · Post by **BASSMAN** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:37 am

Got it.
Heres to "new shoes" then :occasion5:

Pinkpadigal · Post by **Pinkpadigal** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:23 pm

...Hey, got these new shoes...actually, they are Nikes. Perfect for work!