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Posted by Merry on July 26, 2016 at 19:08:23:

An assortment from Hermosa Artificial Reef, White Point Rock, the Crane at Haggerty's and Golf Ball Reef. On Sunday, HAR was thick with phytoplankton, and 57 degrees. Vis was decent on GBR, with current, surge, and 61 degrees.

Whether zipping across kelp blades, clutching onto bryozoan, or clinging to gorgonian stalks, amphipods are ever-busy doing the jobs for which they were designed.

A species of gammarid amphipod mating.
 photo Amphipods mating 3 Wm DSC_5111_zpsnkuona4s.jpg


 photo Amphipods mating Wm DSC_5113_zpsmhwgdys5.jpg


A tangle of caprellid amphipods on gorgonian.
 photo Caprellid tangle on red gorgonian Wm 2a DSC_5173_zpsr7htveax.jpg


 photo Caprellid upside down U.M. Wm DSC_5165_zpsktbte2g8.jpg


Just poking its head out, this is a worm shell snail, a species of snail in the family Vermetidae. Its tubular shell is attached to the substrate and can be mistaken for a worm tube. Unlike shells made by worms, the snail shell comprises three layers, with an inner lining of shiny nacre.

 photo worm shell snail DSC_5240_zpsfemjpawn.jpg


Until I looked at the photos, I didn't realize that the worm snail secretes a mucous web to snare prey.

 photo worm shell snail DSC_5247_zpsy44itpbz.jpg


 photo Polycera atra in bugula 2 DSC_5229_zps2fcqt3v6.jpg


 photo Ancula gibbosa pair DSC_5225_zps90x4nprd.jpg


Fitting neatly on the end of a chopstick, Doto columbiana.
 photo Doto columbiana DSC_5084_zps3j87zxjy.jpg


 photo Red gorgonian cr1 DSC_5069_zpsphfuzx6b.jpg


 photo Nice lightbulb tunicate cr DSC_5066_zpsgwrukphz.jpg


World's smallest Cadlina flavomaculata and new-to-me tunicate.
 photo Cadlina flavomaculata DSC_5050_zpslkhsevfq.jpg


Doriopsilla albopunctata
 photo Doriopsilla albopunctata DSC_5034_zpscldk5cew.jpg





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