Critter and egg ID help?

Fish & Invertebrate sightings and descriptions, hosted by resident NWDC ID expert Janna Nichols (nwscubamom).
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RoxnDox
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Critter and egg ID help?

Post by RoxnDox »

Hi all. This last weekend we were up in Blaine and I found some interesting critters in the low intertidal zone. Wondering if anyone can help ID them... The first is an egg mass, deposited on an old barnacle-encrusted shell. There were a fair number of them scattered about the tideflats, in shells, on the occasional rock, anything semi-solid really...

Image

The other is a critter that looks like a jellyfish, but with 'extras' attached... Budding off maybe? Never seen anything quite like it. Grains of sand for scale in the photo.

Image

It was a minus tide, so we got the chance to *really* explore out a long ways...

Jim
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Scubie Doo
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Re: Critter and egg ID help?

Post by Scubie Doo »

The second one looks like a hooded nudibranch.
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Scubie Doo
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Re: Critter and egg ID help?

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Image
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RoxnDox
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Re: Critter and egg ID help?

Post by RoxnDox »

Ah, cool. It was in the eelgrass beds... Gracias!

Jim
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<LCF> "There is ALWAYS another day to dive, as long as you get home today."
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Scubie Doo
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Re: Critter and egg ID help?

Post by Scubie Doo »

Upon further review, the first looks like an opalescent squid egg cluster. But not 100% sure on that one.
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YellowEye
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Re: Critter and egg ID help?

Post by YellowEye »

How big were the first eggs? If like big grains of rice, could be dogwinkle eggs?
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RoxnDox
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Re: Critter and egg ID help?

Post by RoxnDox »

YellowEye wrote:How big were the first eggs? If like big grains of rice, could be dogwinkle eggs?
Each egg was perhaps 5-7 mm long, tapered ends, maybe 2-3 mm thick.

Jim
<Penopolypants> "I, for one, would welcome our new cowboy octopus overlords."
<LCF> "There is ALWAYS another day to dive, as long as you get home today."
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nwscubamom
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Re: Critter and egg ID help?

Post by nwscubamom »

Definitely NOT Opalescent Squid Eggs - much more likely a smaller whelk (snail) of some kind.
Rick Harbo's Whelks to Whales book (2nd edition) has a great back section on eggs and to which critter they belong.
Unfortunately I don't have my copy with me, or I'd look it up for you!
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Dusty2
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Re: Critter and egg ID help?

Post by Dusty2 »

The second one is definitely a Melibe leonina, AKA Hooded nudibranch. The first one :dontknow: :dontknow:
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RoxnDox
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Re: Critter and egg ID help?

Post by RoxnDox »

nwscubamom wrote:Definitely NOT Opalescent Squid Eggs - much more likely a smaller whelk (snail) of some kind.
Rick Harbo's Whelks to Whales book (2nd edition) has a great back section on eggs and to which critter they belong.
Unfortunately I don't have my copy with me, or I'd look it up for you!
- Janna
Aha! With that clue, a google for whelk eggs gives a bunch of photos that match up perfectly... This one http://www.theseashore.org.uk/theseasho ... laying.jpg is a dog whelk and a perfect match.

I love this group! Soooooooo much info freely shared :partyman:

Jim
<Penopolypants> "I, for one, would welcome our new cowboy octopus overlords."
<LCF> "There is ALWAYS another day to dive, as long as you get home today."
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Re: Critter and egg ID help?

Post by Tidepool Geek »

Hi Jim,

For more info on these egg cases, try this site:
http://www.asnailsodyssey.com/LEARNABOU ... elRepr.php

Start off with "Research Study 11" near the bottom of the page for a clear and succinct description of what goes on with these things.

Reproductively yours,

Alex
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RoxnDox
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Re: Critter and egg ID help?

Post by RoxnDox »

Nice site, thanks Alex!

Jim
<Penopolypants> "I, for one, would welcome our new cowboy octopus overlords."
<LCF> "There is ALWAYS another day to dive, as long as you get home today."
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