#seapen

[colorsoutofearth]

Translucent coral goby (Bryaninops erythrops) in Seapen (Virgularia gustaviana)

Photo by Georgette Douwma

[amnhnyc]

Did you know? There are about 300 species of sea pens that can be found swaying on the ocean floor around the world.🪶 You might be surprised to find out that this feather-like structure is actually a colony of polyps that work together to survive. Different polyps have different responsibilities depending on their location on the body. There are feeding polyps that catch plankton, as well as polyps that circulate water to keep the colony balanced and upright. Photo: Richard Ling, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, flickr; kidney sea pens (Sarcoptilus grandis) pictured #AnimalFacts #OceanLife #SeaPen #Ocean #nature #fish #dyk #MarineLife #MarineBiology https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb_UKlsLemR/?utm_medium=tumblr

[csnews]

Dolphins' happiness living in captivity at marine animal park probed, as tourist attraction considers sea pen

Melissa Martin & Claudia Jambor - May 26, 2019

The question of whether dolphins can be happy living in captivity at a marine animal park is about to be tested on the New South Wales mid-north coast. A world-leading scientist is in Coffs Harbour for an Australian-first study into the welfare of five dolphins at the tourist attraction, Dolphin Marine Conservation Park. Animal behaviour expert Dr Isabella Clegg is conducting her research as part of a feasibility study looking at the possibility of transferring the animals from their pools to a sea-pen sanctuary in the local harbour.

"A lot of projects and places want to [create sea pens] because they assume it will be better for the animal's welfare," Dr Clegg said.

"But it's really important to check by doing such a welfare study before and after they move just to ensure that they are in a better situation than before."

Dr Clegg's study will help provide a snapshot of the dolphins' current lives in the tourist attraction's pools to compare with future studies if the dolphins are relocated. The research will involve assessing the dolphins' individual personalities and their behaviour with each other as well as with humans to gauge how they might react when moved to a sea pen. So far, Dr Clegg said there were positive signs of the dolphins' welfare at the park and "good social bonds" between the animals, some of which are related and vary in age.

'We want them in a better place, not a worse one'

The Dolphin Marine Conservation Park's founder Terry Goodall said the research was a crucial factor as to whether a sea-pen sanctuary could be established in Coffs Harbour.

"Other than Bucky and Calamity, the other three [dolphins] have never been in the ocean," Mr Goodall said.

"We've got to make sure that in fact that shift to an ocean environment is in their best welfare [interests]."

He said management had always maintained the animals would return to the park if it was found the dolphins' welfare was worse in the sea pen.

"Then by all means we would take them back, because it's been the caveat to this whole study that they will be going to a better place, not a worse one," Mr Goodall said. He said he was confident the study would affirm the park's dolphins were "in good health and having a fine old time within this complex we've got".

Sea pens best option regardless of findings: activist group

That sentiment is not shared by some animal activist groups, like Justice for Captives. While the group supports the park's joint sea-pen feasibility study with Action for Dolphins and World Animal Protection, it is concerned the dolphins will still have interaction with humans. A Justice for Captives spokeswoman, Chelsea Hannah, said regardless of the findings of Dr Clegg's study, a sea pen would be the ideal outcome for the dolphins.

"There would be specialists that would be able to identify ways to integrate these dolphins into an ocean environment where there's no interactions with humans," she said.

"It's that plain and simple. They should be able to live the rest of their lives out there.

"The best interest for these dolphins would be to get out of these pools."

[helpmefindtomorrow]

My university sent me an email about this “creature” just for fun. It is called the Orange Sea Pen, Fleshy Sean Pen or Gurney’s Sea Pen found on the floors of the Puget Sound and from the Gulf of Alaska all the way to California. It is actually a collection of of polyps that work together to create a single organism that is surprisingly mobile, bioluminescent and somewhat toxic. 

When first forming only one primary polyp grows and expands starting the base and rachis. As each polyp comes together to form the colony a function is assigned depending on the location. 

Autozooids are feeding polyps underneath that also produce egg and sperm. They wave their eight tentacles to catch plankton. Siphonozooids are pumps found on the sides and take in or expel water causing the colony to inflate or deflate. This action is what gives the organism the ability to be mobile, like a leaf in the wind. Retraction happens when predators approach which signifies its ability to also sense who or what is nearby. The bioluminescent feature functions as protection by startling predators by producing a greenish-blue light running up and down its stalks. Another possible form of protection (not quite studied) is the mild toxin produced called ptilosarcone. 

Found on the sea floor this organism is important to a wide variety of benthic predators. It is slow growing, about one inch per year but can form dense beds with many pens per square meter. Marine Sediment Monitoring Program tracks numbers and types of species in order to understand the health of Puget Sound and to detect any changes over time. 

Check out the Critter of the Month if you want to see and learn about creatures that play important roles you never knew existed! 

http://ecologywa.blogspot.com/2017/09/eyes-under-puget-sound-critter-of-month.html

[roguebeachcomber]

[absolout3zero]

Excited to share the latest addition to my #etsy shop: Hand Crafted Pen - Abalone If you've been following me long, or even just occasionally view my pens, then you've probably noticed I like going with various themes. Today's pen is not exception and fits well in the nautical theme of pens I make. While not as flashy as some of my collection, this pen has beautiful clean lines and an eye catching body made of strips of abalone under a protective acrylic coating. The perfect size, shape, and weight for every day use, with an eye catching beauty that's sure to get noticed. #highendpen #abalonetwistpen #seapen #handcrafted #finewritinginstrument #handcraftedpen #handmade #ballpoint #abalone #abaloneshell #motherofpearl #oceanlife #saltlife #seashells #aquatictheme #oceantheme #abalonepen https://etsy.me/2YsAMxn https://www.instagram.com/p/BzbIt9qH_wZ/?igshid=w57wwoe75bog

[colorel11]

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[2fishoutofwater-blog]

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I had never even heard of a sea pen before this trip!! #RajaAmpat #scubadiving #seapen (at Raja Ampat Islands)