Photos / Sounds
What
Tiger Star (Sclerasterias heteropaes)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Sclerasterias heteropaes. Out in the open at about 65 ft. Much more common in southern CA. Chris Mah at CAS verified this is Sclerasterias heteropaes and not (my mistaken ID of) Astrometis sertulifera.
Photos / Sounds
What
California Frog Shell (Crossata californica)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
About 65 ft deep at a site called The Needle.
Photos / Sounds
What
California Frog Shell (Crossata californica)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
About 65 ft deep at a site called The Needle.
Photos / Sounds
What
Honey Mushrooms (Genus Armillaria)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Not sure if this is the right genus, but at the base of an oak tree.
Photos / Sounds
What
Mcdonald's Dorid (Limacia mcdonaldi)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
ID verified by Dr. Jeff Goddard prior to uploading. Crawling (and likely feeding) on the bryozoan Hincksina velata.
Photos / Sounds
What
Firethorns (Genus Pyracantha)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Can the species be determined from this photo?
Photos / Sounds
What
Footsteps of Spring (Sanicula arctopoides)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Covering areas of Ryan Ranch in March 2021. Not sure if this is the correct ID.
Photos / Sounds
What
Rosy Sandcrocus (Romulea rosea)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Found at DeLaveaga Disc Golf Course parking lot. Small flower in grassy areas.
Photos / Sounds
What
Spectacular Corolla (Corolla spectabilis)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Washed ashore near Big Creek in Big Sur, CA. Pseudoconch of a sea butterfly, a type of pteropod, a pelagic marine mollusk.
Photos / Sounds
What
Spectacular Corolla (Corolla spectabilis)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Washed ashore near Big Creek in Big Sur, CA. ID confirmed by Dr. George Matsumoto, MBARI.
Photos / Sounds
What
European Mantis (Mantis religiosa)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Not sure of the ID, but second mantis I have seen at the NOAA lab in the last few months.
Photos / Sounds
What
European Mantis (Mantis religiosa)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Not sure of the ID, but second mantis I have seen at the NOAA lab in the last few months.
Photos / Sounds
What
Horned Nudibranch (Hermissenda crassicornis)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Hermissenda crassicornis crawling towards a white sponge, possibly Neopetrosia problematica. Big Creek pinnacle, Big Sur, California, USA.
Photos / Sounds
Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Observed on a tunicate attached to a cement piling on A-tier in Monterey Harbor.
Photos / Sounds
What
Striped Barrel Snail (Rictaxis punctocaelatus)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Rictaxis punctocaelatus crawling about in shell hash at about 25 fsw in the kelp forest off Hopkins Marine Station.
Photos / Sounds
What
Striped Barrel Snail (Rictaxis punctocaelatus)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Rictaxis punctocaelatus crawling about in shell hash at about 25 fsw in the kelp forest off Hopkins Marine Station.
Photos / Sounds
What
Striped Barrel Snail (Rictaxis punctocaelatus)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Rictaxis punctocaelatus crawling about in shell hash at about 25 fsw in the kelp forest off Hopkins Marine Station.
Photos / Sounds
What
Striped Barrel Snail (Rictaxis punctocaelatus)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Rictaxis punctocaelatus crawling about in shell hash at about 25 fsw in the kelp forest off Hopkins Marine Station.
Photos / Sounds
What
Dusky Tegula (Tegula pulligo)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Open umbilicus and lack of a "tooth" are key characters to ID. Snail is righting itself. Californiconus californicus to right.
Photos / Sounds
What
Coralline Sculpin (Artedius corallinus)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Near the dive site called Dali's Wall by locals. Janna Nichols thinks this is a coralline sculpin. Transparency of fins is amazing.
Photos / Sounds
What
Coralline Sculpin (Artedius corallinus)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Sculpins are hard to ID. Wide head and band of large scales between lateral line and dorsal fin suggest coralline sculpin.
Photos / Sounds
What
Rough Keyhole Limpet (Diodora aspera)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Righting itself, partially on another Diodora (on left).
Photos / Sounds
What
Maroon Hermit Crab (Pagurus hemphilli)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Pagurus hemphilli in the grasp of Kelletia kelletii. Typically Kelletia feeds on Tegula, not the shell occupied by a hermit crab. Never seen that before.
Photos / Sounds
What
Maroon Hermit Crab (Pagurus hemphilli)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Freed from the grasp of Kellet's whelk, this hermit crab quickly emerged and fled.
Photos / Sounds
What
Olive Rockfish (Sebastes serranoides)Observer
stevelonhartDescription
Hard to differentiate Sebastes serranoides (olive rockfish) from S. flavidus (yellowtail rockfish). I did not see red-brown to orange-brown speckles on body scales, which are supposedly on yellowtail rockfish, so I think this is an olive.
