This is the larva of a brittle star. The body is supported by thin silicious rods. These show bright colours under the polarised ligth of DIC.
Wim
brittle star larva
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- Wim van Egmond
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An excellent shot Wim. A question...when you take your samples from the ocean, how long do the creatures survive? Does it behave like a freshwater culture, where things live and then the culture evolves over time with different creatures showing up at different times?
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Doug Breda
Doug Breda
Excellent shot Wim.
You know, when it comes to insects, we are not surprised at the very different morphology between the larval and adult stages, but I personally rarely think of other critters in the same way. From memory, brittle stars can have many arms (not the standard 5 that most starfish have), but you can't pick any on this little one!
You know, when it comes to insects, we are not surprised at the very different morphology between the larval and adult stages, but I personally rarely think of other critters in the same way. From memory, brittle stars can have many arms (not the standard 5 that most starfish have), but you can't pick any on this little one!
- Wim van Egmond
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Thanks!
Yes, the larvae of echinoderms are amazingly different from the adults. Britle star and sea urchin larvae have these ods. Sea stars don't have them.
Unfortunately the marine organisms last only a couple of days. I keep the samples in the fridge. They need a lot of oxygen so a flat dish is best. And than work very fast! But perhaps it should be possible to keep them longer if you have a cooled aquarium with an air pump.
Wim
Yes, the larvae of echinoderms are amazingly different from the adults. Britle star and sea urchin larvae have these ods. Sea stars don't have them.
Unfortunately the marine organisms last only a couple of days. I keep the samples in the fridge. They need a lot of oxygen so a flat dish is best. And than work very fast! But perhaps it should be possible to keep them longer if you have a cooled aquarium with an air pump.
Wim
- Wim van Egmond
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