Eye-catching

While doing field work yesterday (12 December 2020), we spotted some bright blue isopods in the intertidal zone.  Although quite small (only ~2-3 mm long), their bright coloration really made them stand out against the reddish-brown rocks:

 

 

 

We didn't have a lot of time, but we took a few photos for the record:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We think this is Dynamenella sheareri, but we are keen to learn more about them, so let us know if you've seen blue isopods like this in your area!

Hidden but revealed

Here's a fun one.  Can you find the isopod hiding in this scene?

 

The isopod is very well camouflaged against the surrounding sand grains.  It's pretty much in the center of the image.

Here's a closer view:

 

Such a cool little crustacean!  I'm not sure which species this is, but it's one of the isopods in the Sphaeromatid family.  It's similar to a pill bug ("roly-poly") that you might find under a log, but this marine isopod was in a shallow sandy tidepool.

I love the little turquoise spotting at the posterior end.  And that's a neat little black-and-white design in the middle section.

P.S.  Here's a different individual from 29 June 2018.  You can see how these isopods can roll up into a "Little sphere."

 

Little sphere

 

Eric's summer students found a few intriguing isopods in the rocky intertidal zone this morning.  This one rolled up into a tight little sphere.  You can see its compound eyes and orange antennules at the top, and the last abdominal appendages — a broad pleotelson and a pair of uropods (made up of 4 curved appendages — 2 exopods and 2 endopods) at the bottom.  We believe this is a species of Gnorisphaeroma in the Sphaeromatidae family.  "Sphaero" means ball or sphere — a wonderful reference to this shape!