Craig is temporarily a post-doctoral fellow at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute who is looking for a permanent position. He spends most of his time balancing his overwhelming geekdom with normalcy so he can function in the real world. Luckily his wife likes his geekiness.
Peter Etnoyer is a Graduate Research Associate at the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. He studies deep corals and ocean fronts, and he loves to be on the water.
Kevin Zelnio is a Graduate Student Researcher at Penn State studying the ecology of hydrothermal vent and methane seep communities. He raises awareness of the plight of the spineless through folk music.
« TGIF: Mermaid Suit | Main | Japan to Court Whaling Commission Newbies »
Category: Critters • Seeps, Vent, & Whale Falls • TGIF: Pictures & Movies
Posted on: February 29, 2008 12:09 PM, by Kevin Zelnio
Brisingids look like crinoids, but they are actually sea stars, just kind of turned over. this particular beauty is Freyella sp. from near hydrothermal vents in the Lau Basin back-arc spreading center. They typically are on rock outcrop faces facing the current. Their tube feet are modified for filter-feeding.
That poor little squat lobster (Munidopsis, probably 'lauensis', Galatheidae) looks like he is being ambushed.
View the Technorati Link Cosmos for this entry
TrackBack URL for this entry:
Comments
actually, their spines are modified for filter feeding. As far as is known their tube feet aren't overly modified for anything...
ya know if you're going to be making all the big deal about the biodiversity crisis and invertebrate systematics, its a good first step to give credit for people who make these identifications (both for the squat lobster and the starfish..)
Posted by: ChrisM | March 1, 2008 10:28 AM
Chris, I would, but felt it a moot point to identify myself as the identifier... Perhaps I can make it more clear when a picture is from my own work.
Posted by: kevin z | March 1, 2008 10:35 AM