Biochemical Soul » california http://biochemicalsoul.com Musings on Nature, Science, Evolution, Biology, and Education Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:54:39 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Sea Stars & Sea Cucumbers! http://biochemicalsoul.com/2010/05/sea-stars-sea-cucumbers/ http://biochemicalsoul.com/2010/05/sea-stars-sea-cucumbers/#comments Fri, 21 May 2010 19:26:42 +0000 Irradiatus http://biochemicalsoul.com/?p=1478 I was asked to take some pictures of our scientific model organisms for a colleague. I figured you all might like to see them as well, considering how magnificently cool and weird they are. If any are used for publication, they will be removed from here.

The first is the Bat Star, Patiria miniata (formerly Asterina miniata) and the second is the California Sea Cucumber, Parastichopus californicus. Click on image for larger versions.

Patiria miniata

Bat Star, Patiria miniata

Patiria miniata

Bat Star, Patiria miniata - this one has 6 arms!

Patiria miniata

Bat Star, Patiria miniata

Patiria miniata

Bat Star, Patiria miniata - tube feet (also note the tiny brown polychaete worm)

California Sea Cucumber, Parastichopus californicus

California Sea Cucumber, Parastichopus californicus

California Sea Cucumber, Parastichopus californicus

California Sea Cucumber, Parastichopus californicus

California Sea Cucumber, Parastichopus californicus

California Sea Cucumber, Parastichopus californicus

California Sea Cucumber, Parastichopus californicus

California Sea Cucumber, Parastichopus californicus - the mouthparts look a bit like cauliflower heads when submerged.

California Sea Cucumber, Parastichopus californicus

California Sea Cucumber, Parastichopus californicus

California Sea Cucumber, Parastichopus californicus

California Sea Cucumber, Parastichopus californicus - I smell a bad SyFy channel movie in the making...

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