It was another hunt, but this time for crinoids or what you would call feather stars. Two researchers from Japan (Dr. Yoshihisa Fujita & Mr. Masami Obuchi) led the team.
Stupidly enough, I didn't take a single photo of any crinoids... but nonetheless a bunch of the usual critters found, with a couple of nice finds.
The octopuses were all out to play. Saw like 7 or 8 of them... big and small...
Fishes! No idea what the hell are these... Ain't a fishy guy here.
But I sure know this is a flathead or also known as a crocodile fish. Found quite a few of them embedded in the sand.
Also found quite a few anemones with clownfish or better know as Nemo. Even found a baby nemo measuring about 1cm long only!!
Crabbies.
Crabbie eating a snail. Escargot?
Flatworms. Apparently the one on the left is usually only seen during dives and not on intertidal. Wondering why is it doing at the intertidal area...
Nudis!! Can't remember the names...
A transparent peacock anemone. Have seen this a few times, and always by chance.
Hunter in action. This sea anemone was happily feasting on a tiny fish (about 1cm). This too was transparent and once again spotted by chance. Perhaps it's the silver sheen of the fish that gave away it's location.
CRINOID 101
A little something I've learnt from the researchers. Using an old photo as an example.
- Baby crinoids are born with only 5 arms!!
- Crinoids autotomise their arms at the base in order to grow more arms!!
- Crinoids are ID-ed by the number of segments in their arms and cirri!!
- They are a very difficult group to ID!! Duhz...
- Colour and patterning may or may not be unique within species...
Something new learnt everyday!!
