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A most interesting relationship between species. The Marine Detective observations bring awareness to our marine environment.The life and times of Giant Nudibranchs (and Tube-Dwelling Anemones). With coincidence, I had posted about Giant Nudibranchs yesterday and then went diving and had this great photo opportunity. The Giant Nudibranch was crawling away from where it had laid its fertilized eggs on its prey (note that there are thousands of developing embryos in that egg mass). It's what nudibranchs do. They most often lay their eggs right atop their prey. When you consider that the egg masses / ribbons of every nudibranch species look different, this is a REALLY valuable clue in trying to solve whodunnits for nudibranch eggs. If you know their prey, you have a good chance of knowing whose eggs you are looking at.
The other species in the lower photo is another giant - the Giant Sea Cucumber - Parastichopus californicus to 50 cm long.
Please know as you reflect on the ocean off our coast, that where there is sand, these species are common and living out their lives while many of us do not even know about them. This was only at ~6 m depth.
If you've not seen it already, here's the link to my blog showing the stunning diversity of colour in Giant Nudibranchs, how the swim and, how they POUNCE on their prey.
themarinedetective.com/2010/03/28/whos-eating-who
©2020 Jackie Hildering; The Marine Detective
May 31, 2020, Telegraph Cove.Strange, wonderful things are everywhere! Botany group member Joy Dawson found and photographed these yellow and purple Vancouver groundcones in the Comox Lake area. Groundcone is a "root parasite" on salal, kinnickinnick and other members of the heather family.
An interesting study provides insights into air pollution
Sooty Bird Bellies Yield Insights into Historical Air Pollution - Eos
eos.org
A new study mined museum collections to investigate just how sooty the air in the United States has been for the past 135 years.
Category Archives: Birding
The marten and the woodpecker
Nancy St. Hilaire recently related this experience to the Birding Group. On April 12 I was doing my usual route near and through the Millard Creek Nature Park. I check on the progress of two Pileated Woodpecker nest cavities. Captain … Continue reading
March 1, 2020 Sunday Bird Walk – Cumberland Marsh
New birders are welcome to join experienced birders for this early Spring bird watching outing to Cumberland Marsh. This walk will be about 1.5 km in length on level pathways. We will be bird watching for about 2 hours. Meet … Continue reading
January 30 Bird Walk to Little River Nature Park
Let’s go to Little River Nature Park. Meet at 9am at Quality Foods on Guthrie Road, Comox. Park in the back lot, south of the store. We will car pool and depart at 9:10. Should be back before noon. Good … Continue reading
JANUARY 23, 2020- MILLARD CREEK NATURE PARK
This bird walk will be led by Nancy St. Hilaire. Take Fraser Road (just past Millard) from the old highway. Turn left on to Comox Logging Road. Meet at the corner of Comox Logging Road and Buckstone Road at 9am. … Continue reading