Squat lobsters are one of my very favorite things for photographers to record -- they have those permanent "happy face" smiles, which I can't see through my mask, but show up so nicely in pictures.
"Sometimes, when your world is going sideways, the second best thing to everything working out right, is knowing you are loved..." ljjames
The Whitespotted greenling is still guarding the eggs, most of the Bull kelp is now gone from
the vicinity ofthe eggs. I sure hope they will hatch successfully. Still no eyes showing..
Leopard sure fits this nudibranch's name ..
Love it!! Totally looks like Darth Vader's helmet and cape. And thanks for the side-by-side on the umbrella vs. butterfly. I always get those confused on those.
- Janna
Janna Nichols My underwater photo galleries REEF Citizen Science Program Manager
Seen any cool critters lately?
><((((°>
-----------------------------
Keystone is the only place I've ever seen butterfly crabs, and I've seen them there several times, but never with a bright stripe down the middle of the carapace like the ones in your pictures, Jan. That's cool!
"Sometimes, when your world is going sideways, the second best thing to everything working out right, is knowing you are loved..." ljjames
Maybe that's part that sticks out of his cave and he got a tan! Nice catch though to get it from two angles.
Seriously maybe it's a sexual change thing. I know that the females tend to be much darker and that some fish do change sexes as they mature?? Guess we have to hope Greg knows.
LCF wrote:Keystone is the only place I've ever seen butterfly crabs, and I've seen them there several times, but never with a bright stripe down the middle of the carapace like the ones in your pictures, Jan. That's cool!
Maybe Greg can say yeah or nay to this. I have seen a few of these and I'm thinking that it has something to do with molting. These guys split right down the middle where the line is when they molt??
Oh my goodness! I saw the very same thing with the Ling Cod up off Vancouver Island in October! I know we're not supposed to post our pics on your thread Jan, but check this out!
I thought it was just something weird with that ONE fish - but your photo makes me think it's more than that...
- Janna
Janna Nichols My underwater photo galleries REEF Citizen Science Program Manager
Seen any cool critters lately?
><((((°>
-----------------------------
White-lined dironas are plentiful now at Lagoon Point. Wandering along the muddy bottom
meeting some interesting critters, trumpet and sapsucker among others...
LCF wrote:Keystone is the only place I've ever seen butterfly crabs, and I've seen them there several times, but never with a bright stripe down the middle of the carapace like the ones in your pictures, Jan. That's cool!
Maybe Greg can say yeah or nay to this. I have seen a few of these and I'm thinking that it has something to do with molting. These guys split right down the middle where the line is when they molt??
Has to be a 'nay'- nothing to do with molting. All crabs back out of their old molt, with the split occurring where the rear of the carapace meets the abdomen.