Epic beauty and different species at Farnsworth Bank

[Merry]

More from the private charter on the Giant Stride with Captain Jim Simmerman, Kevin Lee and Jeff Reeb.

Nothing is more exciting to me than discovering marine life that I've never seen before. Farnsworth Bank delivered aplenty with 7 new-to-me species. Adding to the experience was the bonus of calm, flat seas, blue water and a spacious dive boat. It doesn't get any better than that. Many thanks to Jim Simmerman for 2 outstanding trips to Farnsworth.

Smokey sunrise in San Pedro Channel

Kevin and Phil

Phil grooving on conditions

Eagle Rock

The Giant Stride, a 6-pack out of San Pedro

California hydrocoral, Stylaster californicus

Further studies are needed to classify this unusual sea star, but the current place-holder is Pharia pyramidata.

The most exciting find of the trips was a cryptic, commensal snail, only found on hydrocoral. Such a delicate and beautiful adaptation. Pedicularia californica

Another commensal animal found only on hydrocoral is a 5mm polychaete worm, Proceraea penetrans. Left of the snail.

In response to the worm, the hydrocoral encapsulates the worm, forming its home. I didn't see these on the dive!

Phil shooting a small patch of zoanthids that are only found at the Southern Channel Islands. Epizoanthus giveni.

Epizoanthus giveni

Our old friend, Urticina mcpeaki

Juveniles of the invasive algae that is devastating the underwater park, Sargassum horneri.
Dr. Bill kindly confirmed the ID.

Algae, probably Codium hubbsii
ID thanks to Dr. Jeff Goddard

 

[drbill]

A great trip down memory lane at my #1 Catalina dive site. Thanks, Merry.

I still find it hard to accept that the "red spotted sea star" is Pharia pyramidata given my experiences with that species down in Mexico, although it could be a "new" color variant. Wondering what the molecular genetics will show.

Epizoanthus giveni was discovered by my now-deceased friend, Dr. Bob Given (for whom it is named) back in the 60s. It can be found in several locations here off Catalina.

 

[Merry]

A great trip down memory lane at my #1 Catalina dive site. Thanks, Merry.

I still find it hard to accept that the "red spotted sea star" is Pharia pyramidata given my experiences with that species down in Mexico, although it could be a "new" color variant. Wondering what the molecular genetics will show.

Epizoanthus giveni was discovered by my now-deceased friend, Dr. Bob Given (for whom it is named) back in the 60s. It can be found in several locations here off Catalina.

Thank you for that bit of history. Getting an image of the zoanthid was one of the reasons I wanted to dive there and it's nice to know it was named after your friend.

Several people on iNaturalist doubt that the red spotted sea star is Pharia pyramidata, too.

 

[drbill]

Here are a few images I took of Pharia pyramidata when I worked down in the Sea of Cortez. While there is a resemblance, the sea stars from Mexico have two well organized lines of spots on each side of the arms, whereas the red-spotted has spots all over the arms with no intervening "clear" space. At one point the red spotted sea star was considered to be Hacelia bozanici by Dr. Hendler at the LACMNH.

 

[Merry]

Here are a few images I took of Pharia pyramidata when I worked down in the Sea of Cortez. While there is a resemblance, the sea stars from Mexico have two well organized lines of spots on each side of the arms, whereas the red-spotted has spots all over the arms with no intervening "clear" space. At one point the red spotted sea star was considered to be Hacelia bozanici by Dr. Hendler at the LACMNH.

View attachment 547638

Wow, quite different indeed! Thank you for posting the comparison.