Invertebrates are Cool

[bowiebranchia]

It’s a match! From the blue legs to the dark magenta topper.

[shewhoworshipscarlin]

Sea urchins, 1834.

[montereybayaquarium]

Giant green anemones hulk out in the tide pools when conditions are right, green with envy for solar energy to feed symbiotic algae. Meanwhile, purple urchins bide their time with anemones at the gates, waiting for drift kelp to arrive with the next wave of deliveries.

[mooonjellies]

Joe Chowaniec

[noaasanctuaries]

Red pencil urchins like this one are one of the most distinctive species of sea urchins! 

Found in throughout the waters of Hawai‘i, these urchins have thick, pencil-shaped spines that are typically bright red. In Native Hawaiian, they’re known as hā‘uke‘uke ‘ula‘ula. This one was spotted at Kure Atoll in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument! 

(Photo: Claire Fackler/NOAA)

[bowiebranchia]

Fuzzy blue fuzziness.

[mooonjellies]

Dave Tucker EFIAP, DPAGB, BPE3

[mooonjellies]

stshank

[bowiebranchia]

Revving up in red.

[montereybayaquarium]

No #NudibranchWeek could be complete without some @bowiebranchia!

[montereybayaquarium]

Hilton’s aeolid (Phidiana hiltoni) is here for your daily nudi-break! This magnificent nudibranch sea slug is known for its pugnacious behavior, often biting and fighting with other aeolids! 

 This wonderful photo is brought to you by biologist Kate Vylet (Instagram: @katevylet)

[montereybayaquarium]

Lace caught in suspense, A striped bell rings deep purple: C. colorata.

The purple striped jelly Chrysaora colorata continues to be one of the most stunning animals we have on display—and since we still don’t know where their polyps live in the wild, all of these beauties you’ll see on display are home-grown by our jelly aquarists! Thanks so much to guest Catherine Wallin for the beautiful photo!

[montereybayaquarium]

These beautiful white-spotted rose anemones populate intertidal zones from Alaska to California. And thanks to our new wallpaper, they can populate your desktop or mobile device!

[juliekrizan]

Finished my gemstone nautilus! Here’s a link to the WIP I posted.

[breathinginbiology]

Majestic nudibranch.

[greatestbastard]

[holdthepossum]

[discovered]

[immediately mocked by scientists]

[frostyknickers]

me as a discovery

[slavetomyheadcanon]

How can you not include the video?

@lordcephalopod

[spam-bot]

THEY’RE ROASTING HIM

[montereybayaquarium]

Chrysaora vs Chrysaora, colorata vs achlyos, contrasting colors in a kreisel of cousins.

Here’s a new wallpaper to make your friends jelly!

[bowiebranchia]

Lined in yellow with a saucy jaunt.