By Denise Kacavas (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #886) on Sunday, November 14, 2004 - 9:24 am: |
I have yet to find anybody who can tell me what this is. I believe it's been discussed on BT before, described as silver balls, and I have asked a few dive masters with out success. A snorkel guide told me she does not know what it is either but has lightly touched one and it has a spongey feel to it. You lightly push at it with your finger and it gives a little and then moves back to shape when you pull your finger away. I won't touch it for fear I will break it and kill it if there is something inside alive. It appears there is something inside. Anybody know what it is?
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By seb schulherr (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1767) on Sunday, November 14, 2004 - 11:58 am: |
It's a unicelluar plant Denise, one of the largest in the plant or animal kingdom. It's a type of green algae called a sea pearl. The smaller, ovoid ones are called elongated sea pearls. It has lavender crust algae on it's surface, giving it the "world globe" look. You'll find it in the Humann Reef Coral book under algae. In fact, they print the same picture twice!
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By Mare (Mary Wills) (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #401) on Sunday, November 14, 2004 - 12:04 pm: |
YAY to you Denise for asking about critters other than fish! There's lots of stuff down there and I recall Mary Mueller looking at me kinda funny when I was excited about a huge patch of Florida Corallimorphs. She was kind enough to indulge, took a picture, and sent it to me. (Thanks Mary!!!!!!)
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By Denise Kacavas (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #887) on Sunday, November 14, 2004 - 2:54 pm: |
THANK YOU Seb and Mare !!!! :-)
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By Denise Kacavas (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #888) on Sunday, November 14, 2004 - 3:27 pm: |
Let's try another ... ignore the shadow in the lower left corner of the picture. The picture was taken at night, should that be of any interest in deciding what to identify it as. I am told it is a little sticky "like an anenome". I did not touch it. What is this ... ?
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By seb schulherr (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1770) on Sunday, November 14, 2004 - 5:10 pm: |
I'm guessing a partially buried urchin with sand on top, like a west indian sea egg. How big was it? (BTW, I figure out how big stuff is by putting my finger or slate next to it.)
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By Denise Kacavas (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #890) on Sunday, November 14, 2004 - 8:08 pm: |
about 2 1/2 to 3" across
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By Denise Kacavas (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #891) on Sunday, November 14, 2004 - 8:39 pm: |
could it be the mouth of a burrowing sea cucumber?
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By Mary Mueller (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3388) on Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 12:08 pm: |
Denise - thanks for posing that question - both my hubby and I have been wondering about that.
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By seb schulherr (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1784) on Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 7:10 pm: |
I dunno Denise. Did you look up the west indian sea egg? Google images is good for a lot of this stuff, you get some wild search results when you try "nudibranch" for instance.
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By Denise Kacavas (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #893) on Friday, November 19, 2004 - 7:55 am: |
I did. It was just the way the little 'branches' seemed to cluster that left me not sure ... but if I look really close it does seem to have some points barely breaking though in the middle of the circle as well. The clusters in a ring is why I thought it looked a little like the mouth of a cucumber, like a drawing I saw on a google search if it was burrowed and the mouth was upward. But I do think your sea egg is more likely the answer. I've seen this a few times in Bonaire. Next time I'll try to blow off some of the sand to see it better. I'll be careful though not to accidently hurt it. Could be a while but I am hoping in May.
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By Mary Mueller (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3390) on Friday, November 19, 2004 - 10:19 am: |
Sebbo - the first question and picture - I have never seen the second. Dirk and I did see the sea pearl many times - but I forgot my books and could not look it up. Then I just plain forgot about it - until Denise asked.
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By seb schulherr (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1785) on Friday, November 19, 2004 - 8:06 pm: |
How'd he do on Bonaire anyway Mary? Did you find the seahorses? I meant to call you guys while you were there. Did you have a nice dive with Julia? Did you find the tap key? Did you feed the Loras?
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By Mary Mueller (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3409) on Monday, November 22, 2004 - 12:35 pm: |
Seb - Dirk discovered that diving was really fun!!! No seahorses -though I did look and look and look and look! Dirk kept telling me that I was too slow and he was always getting me to come look at something he discovered! I told him you could never go too slow! As I learned from you and Mary!
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By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1928) on Monday, November 22, 2004 - 4:41 pm: |
The mystery pic looks similar to some egg case sets in it's circular ring of joined 'packets'. Haven't seen any 'frilly' packets like these, though.
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