Thursday, June 27, 2013

Constellation Marine Reserve - Strange 3 siphon Piddock Clam

The last good low tide series for a month brought out two unusual items.  The Cryptic Nudibranch which is found only in association with Kelp Bryozoans and a very strange Piddock Clam with an extra siphon  Some other more common individual species a posted here just because I'm working with a new camera and trying some closeup work.   Noelle Congdon discovered a 3 siphon Piddock Clam....extremely unusual.    It has one exhalant  siphon and two inhalant siphons, perhaps due to a genetic error or repaired damage to the siphon that resulted in an extra opening.  Whatever the reason it's the only one I've ever seen with 3 siphons....so very cool.
Lots of rain this week....heavy showers, and steady all night rain.......next week...sunny and mid 80's for Seattle...and a cooking 100+ on the east side of the Cascades.  Next good low tide series July 20,21, 22,23,24.


Piddock Clam with 3 siphons

Extra inhalant siphon


Gaper clam siphon


Hairy Sea Squirt

Moonglow Anemone

Orange Encrusting Bryozoan

Cryptic Nudibranch on Kelp Bryozoan

Cryptic Nudibranch on Kelp Bryozoan

Hairy Shore Crab

Helmet Crab

Moon Snail

Moon Snail

Plainfin Midshipman eggs

Plainfin Midshipman eggs

Red Rock Crab mouth

Red Rock Crab showing 5 spines between eyes

Hairy Shore Crab - snow camouflage 

Thickclaw Porcelain Crab with eggs

Thickclaw Porcelain Crab

Tidepool Sculpin

White Burrowing Sea Cucumber
Red Rock Crab claw

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2 comments:

  1. JenJune 29, 2013 at 8:53 AM

    Thank you for all your beautiful photos and helpful information! I stumbled across your blog while trying to figure out what I had been looking at while at Mee Kwa Mooks (turned out to be Shaggy Mouse Nudibranch Eggs!). I was wondering if you might comment about what Camera/lens you are using to take your photos?

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  2. Buzz's Marine Life Puget SoundJune 29, 2013 at 1:56 PM

    Hi Jen,
    Close up photography is done with Panasonic DMC TS2 and 4; nice Leica lens and excellent zoom macro. Some extreme close up done with Pentax WG3 which has ring lights around the lens and allows for 1cm close ups with good even lighting. Both cameras are waterproof and shockproof. For some close up I use Nikon D90 with 60mm micro Nikkor lens and for telephoto an 18-200 Nikkor zoom and a Tamron 70-300 zoom and Nikkor 80-200 zoom.
    The Panasonic TS2 has been down to 10 feet on snorkel.
    Most of video is done with the Panasonics...as it does HD.
    But of course there are lots of other cameras I would like to try....but I need some $$$ for food. Actually I've seen the TS4 for $218 at Amazon lately which I think is a bargain...the difference in the TS4 vs TS2 is GPS in the 4 but that drains batteries fast. Otherwise I like the control set up on the TS2 better...it's less complicated and more intuitive. TS2 is very hard to find...There is a TS5 which has WiFi as well as GPS.
    I see lot of other excellent images from the Beach Naturalist volunteers.
    You can follow their adventures on Facebook The "Seattle Aquarium Beach Naturalists" group page.

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