The Marine Detective

Late to this party. In 2020, a nudibranch was named in honour of Dr. Sylvia Earle.

See more in my blog about Cadlina luteomarginata now being at least 4 “yellow-margin dorid” species.

themarinedetective.com/2025/02/23/n...

#sylviaearle #nudibranch #SeaSlug #MarineBiology

There are sources that put forward that a closely related species to the Sand Rose Anemone can live 60 to 80 years in the wild (Urticina piscivora). But I could not find a scientific source for that information.

There is an account of a Giant Green Anemone (Anthopleura xanthogrammica) living in an aquarium for 80 years and that "their longevity in the wild has been estimated at 150 years". (Ricketts, et al., 1992; Sebens, 1982).

Sand-Rose Anemone to 1 m across - Urticina columbiana.

I've seen this one here for a LONG time. I dug back through my photos and say carefully, since at least 2007.

Anemones 18+ years old? Yes

Photo Feb 9 in the Traditional Territory of the Kwakiutl.

#DoseOfDepth #MarineBiology #Anemone

Comment 2:

A face in the crowd?
A fish in the school?
Individual? Collective?
Both are true.
Beauty amplified.
Strength fortified.
A force.
Magnified.

Photo: Juvenile Pacific Herring near NE Vancouver Island that suddenly turned and engulfed me. Territory of the Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw

Comment 1:

Fleeing fish? Or fragility united?
A powerful force that has survived exploitation, error, greed, and diminishment.

Marine metaphors offer so much. Know your way in the storm. Do not lapse into passivity. There's so much that depends on the good you carry into the world.

Life-force. Pacific Herring.
Silver strands of life connecting land to ocean. Past to future.

Of so many photos, this is one of mine that I have on my wall. I found myself staring at it while listening to the news. I realized there was moisture in my eyes.

See comments.
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"Bryozoans are small animals . . . live exclusively in colonies . . . Bryozoa is the only animal phylum in which all known species form colonies. Name comes from 2 Greek words - bryon (moss) and zoon (animal). Sometimes called moss animals because some colonies resemble mosses." Source Uni Kansas.

More info #1. These are NOT corals either! Corals are in the same phylum as anemones, jellies, and other "stinging-celled" animals.
Bryozoans are in their own phylum. And all species in this grouping form colonies.

Not snowflakes.
Animal colony!
Species of "Coral Bryozoan" (Tubulipora spp), each colony is up to 2.5 cm across and grows on kelp.

Each little tube-like structure you see is an individual animal.

Photo: Dec 31, 2024, Malcolm Island

#DailyDoseOfDepth for you!

#Bryozoa #MarineBiology

So glad to see my blog here! :)

So cold. So worth it!
1.25 hours in the Ocean today with cool dive buddy, Natasha.

Now for a hot bath, hot fire, hot toddy*, and hot to share photos with you!
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*Hot toddy with all 🇨🇦 products.
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#selfmockery
#cantfeelmyface #coldwaterdiver #scubadiving

Caption continued: At least 50% of the oxygen on Earth comes from marine algae and there is more productivity where the water is cold and there is high current. Kelp forests are also essential habitat to so many species. Kelp is impacted by changes in climate and the plight of Sunflower Stars . . ."

The caption:
"The embrace: Bull Kelp intertwined in water thick with plankton. Love the ocean and the algae. They sustain life above and below the surface. From the microscopic to giant kelps, algae photosynthesize - absorbing climate-changing carbon dioxide and producing food and oxygen . . .

Time to embrace February (and BlueSky) and flip the page on your WILD Calendar.

It's my monthly opportunity to thank all of you who send these calendars far and wide to increase awareness and, maybe, positive action.

The image descriptor is in the comments.

#Kelp #KelpForest #BullKelp

#Kelp