Solstice sunset

Did you notice the sunset last night?  Pretty spectacular way to start the summer.

 

 

Cool as a cucumber

Last night I shared a video of a small sea cucumber (the video is also at the end of this post) and I promised more information about it.

This sea cucumber (Cucumaria pseudocurata) is found in the rocky intertidal zone along our coast.  Recently we encountered quite a few of them nestled in shallow depressions below mats of algae.

In the field, the sea cucumbers look like little brown blobs (maximum size is ~3.5 cm, or ~1.5 inches):

 

As you probably saw in the video, when viewed under a microscope their features are easier to see, including tubefeet (for holding on), tentacles (for gathering food), and large shiny ossicles (for skeletal support):

 

Ossicles are plates made of calcium carbonate.  The shape of the ossicles helps distinguish different species of sea cucumbers.  Below is a selection of ossicles from Cucumaria pseudocurata viewed under very high magnification:

 

You can compare the real thing (above) with a book illustration (below) and look for similarities:

 

Modified from Sea Cucumbers of British Columbia, Southeast Alaska, and Puget Sound (Lambert 1997) 

And here's a wonderful close-up view of the ossicles inside the body wall and a tubefoot:

 

Perhaps you remember that the sea cucumber in last night's video was only ~3 mm long.  Cucumaria pseudocurata is a brooder and a direct developer — females lays eggs in January, males release sperm to fertilize the eggs, the female shields the developing embryos with her body for about a month, and eventually tiny juvenile sea cucumbers are visible among the adults.  

The individual in the video was probably about 3-4 months old.  Here's a still picture with a ruler to help you visualize the size (the marks on the ruler represent millimeters):

 

And in case you missed it, here's the video:

cucumaria_juvenile_sanford from Jackie Sones on Vimeo.

Little one

I haven't posted a video in a little while, so here's a nice one that Eric put together recently.  

The little sea cucumber featured in the video is only ~3 mm long.  Watch for the shiny ossicles in the body wall, tentacles, and tubefeet.  (I'll explain more tomorrow night.)
 
If you can't see the video in the e-mail, click on the title of this post to go to the website.

cucumaria_juvenile_sanford from Jackie Sones on Vimeo.


P.S.  Happy Solstice! 
 

Inspiration

 

My dad (Steve Sones) with a Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) off Scituate, MA

 

My dad, my sister (in the yellow hoodie), and me 

 

And me sitting on a large lobster trap! 

My dad passed away recently.  It's made me think a lot about how appreciative I am that my parents spent so much time outdoors and encouraged us to explore and connect with the world around us (and to eat lots of fresh, local seafood!).

May you all have family and friends that inspire a love of nature.

Mendocino scenes

A couple of seascapes from the Mendocino coast yesterday (10 June 2016):

 

A breezy morning, with Sea Palms (Postelsia palmaeformis) in the foreground.

 

 

Sea urchins (purple), sea anemones (green), and coralline algae (pink) under water on a vertical wall along a deep surge channel.

Three "seas"

We were doing field work on the Mendocino coast today (10 June 2016).  In between surveys, we documented a few nice invertebrates:

 

It might be tricky, but can you find three different species of echinoderms in the photo above?

There's a Purple Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus).  Next to the urchin is a Six-armed Sea Star (Leptasterias sp.).  And just below the sea star, looking a bit like a brownish blob, is a sea cucumber — still to be identified...stay tuned!

Aeronautes

A few years ago, I wrote about White-throated Swifts (Aeronautes saxatilis) at AT&T Park in San Francisco — review the "Sky Sailors" post from 1 July 2012.  

We were at the park last night and I was thrilled to see several swifts actively feeding.  In 2012, I only managed blurry silhouettes, but this year I ended up with one shot showing the white throat and belly (they remind me of Orcas!).  

 

White-throated Swifts are so fast that it's hard to photograph them, especially with dim light, and between innings!  Some day I hope to have a chance in easier conditions.