unfortunate eyelashes

[Dread]

This is a pic from my last dive adventure... I first thought these were lures above the eye, but upon closer inspection (and thought) they are actually parasites. There is scarring all over this short-horned sculpin's face... perhaps from his long-term guests. The fleshy protuberance above the eye is not usual, and I suspect is also thanks to the hitchhikers:


And one for good measure, a hike along the intertidal found a pleasant little rhodophyte:


Thanks for looking!

[Planapo]

Hi Dread,
Interesting pics you´re sharing with us, thanks!
Especially the first one appeals to my interest into parasites. Looks like leeches (Annelida: Hirudinea), if I´m not mistaken here.

Now, for zoogeographical reasons it would be nice to know what coast you were hiking along, waters you were diving in, respectively. Just roughly speaking without harming too much of your privacy.
Inferring from the distribution of Myoxocephalus scorpius it could be the northeastern coast of North America as well as Europe.

Cheers,
Betty

[Dread]

Hi Betty,

If someone wants to spend the time and effort to get all the way to Newfoundland, they are more than welcome to find me The sculpin was in Logy Bay which is north of St. John's (the capital).

The rhodophyte was taken on a barachois in Freshwater Bay (south of St. John's), it was originally attached to some Agarum (the colander kelp). By rights I should be able to identify it, but it's been a couple of years since I've had to know that sort of thing!

After going back through my photos I found some other fish (same species) at that same site with those leeches on them. I have a growing library of fish faces, and this was the first time I've seen them. I also have some jellyfish parasite photos if you'd like... what do you normally work with?

Ryan

[beetleman]

I can smell the salt air from here. I grew up on Long Island, New York and as a kid, we just about grew Gills from being in the water all summer. Excellent photos Ryan. The red algae looks wonderful on the green. thanks for the memories

[Planapo]

Ryan,

and I thought I would work in a remote place... Actually, I would like to be there when the storm is howling and the sea is raging... well to a certain extent... And the underwater wildlife is always great with rocky littoral, isn´t it? Though I´m not a diver I once snorkelled at such a rocky littoral in Northern Norway, and it was great there.
"Jellyfish parasite photos", of course show them! I know for sure that, besides me, others too, here aboard would enjoy to see some beautifully weird forms of live that have been evolving.
I have a long time interest in all kinds of living things. However, as time is limited and diversity overwhelming had mostly focused on invertebrates in general and on some insect taxa in particular. But due to the loss of two of my professors, lately I have started work in parasitology, likewise fascinating! Sorry to can´t say more or show interesting photos on this, but our head of department would not be amused at all.

Cheers,
Betty

[Erland R.N.]

That is really interesting, and great photos indeed. Thank you for showing.

Erland

[Dread]

Thanks for your interest! I do love the rocky intertidal... a fabulous habitat to photograph, that's for certain. I can't say I've been snorkeling much in Newfoundland though, I usually have a tank strapped to my back when I'm headed in that direction

Here's a shot of the jellyfish parasites I mentioned. I've picked some of these out of jelly-carcasses I've found along the beach, they have very neat narrow diagonal eyes. I'll make a point of looking out for them for a photo op.


And since we're on jellyfish, here are some from the spring bloom this year:

see the copepod?



Thanks for looking!

[Planapo]

Ryan,

thanks for the additional photos, especially the medusa with its crustacean "hitchhikers". The sight is quite similar to what I occasionally encounter in our costal waters, there it´s Hyperia (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Hyperiidae) hitchhiking and feeding on Cyanea and Aurelia aurita.
Actually, your medusa resembles a Cyanea capillata and the crustaceans inside could be hyperiid amphipods. But of course, from that distance it´s only a guess.

And yep, spotted the copepod!

--Betty