The hidden one

  

Alright, this is a little bit of a test.  Scan the image above — can you spot the isopod (an oval-shaped crustacean with a segmented body)?  Look carefully, it's a tough one! 

Okay, here's another view, a little bit more zoomed in (below).  Can you find it now?  (Hint: Look for something that doesn't look quite like sand grains.)

 

 

And now even closer — I'm sure you'll see it now!

 

 

And, because this isopod is so cool, here's a slightly different view:

 

 

Meet Tecticeps convexus!  Amazing to see how well its coloration matches the surrounding sand — black, orange, gray, white, and even pale blue!

 

It is so well camouflaged that it might still be hard to see, so here's another image without the sand.  [Note the two dark eyes and the short antennae on the head, and the large pale spots in the center and on the last segment.  You can use those features to locate the isopod in the photos above.]

 

 

 

We're so lucky that Suzanne looked down to see this isopod on the beach!  

 

Eric and I have been interested in finding this species for many years, but it probably lives mostly in the subtidal zone (so a little out of reach for biologists who spend most of their time in the intertidal zone).

 

One more extreme close-up so you can really appreciate the colors and patterns:

 

 

 

With many thanks to Suzanne for noticing Tecticeps and bringing it to our attention, and to Eric for the fantastic photos of this seldom seen species.