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Chris Mah

@echinoblog.bsky.social

4.7K followers 790 following 2.9K posts

The "starfish guy"(but also a little about a lot of marine invertebrates, #echinoday #echinoderms. Kaiju, comics enthusiast. Marine scientist, taxonomist, deep-sea researcher. Statements/posts made here are my own & DO NOT REPRESENT HOST organizations

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Chris Mah @echinoblog.bsky.social · Nov 17

A recent account of my research in the NYT! by @megadarren.bsky.social ! #echinoday www.nytimes.com/2023/08/04/s...

New Antarctic Starfish Are Doting Parents and Vicious Predators (Published 2023)

A close examination of a collection of starfish in the Smithsonian revealed even more starfish inside those starfish.

www.nytimes.com

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Chris Mah @echinoblog.bsky.social · 6h

the skeleton is basically all of what looks like the internal white struts. When they are dried out, the boy takes on a very delicate texture akin to very old plastic. extremely friable. There are dried specimens but pterasterids don't preserve well dry-so people tend to stick them in ethanol.

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Chris Mah @echinoblog.bsky.social · 6h

in shallow ones like Pteraster its quite thick and forms threads. The one time I encountered Hymenaster it was very viscous. but more fluidic. not something we have a lot of data on!

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 4d

4000ish m. Sea star, cuke, coral @nautiluslive.org #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 5d

Sponges and cucumber. @nautiluslive.org #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 1d

Ophiuroids, isopod, & polychaete associates on a cladorhizid sponge 5070m
@nautiluslive.org dive L1008 #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 4d

I thought this may be Poralia before it moved, but those tentacles don't match. I'm drawing a blank with this one. @nautiluslive.org #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 4d

Cladorhizid carnivorous sponge & pretty anemone. @nautiluslive.org #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 11h

4778m To me this looks like a tiny cydippid ctenophore that got snagged on a stalk. I see 2 tentacles, one snagged & the other on the right flowing in the water. @nautiluslive.org dive L1009 #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 1d

That's a big shrimp!
@nautiluslive.org dive L1008 #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 4d

I don't remember what the name is, but this is a tunicate. @nautiluslive.org #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 1d

Cladorhizid feeding info
@nautiluslive.org dive L1008 #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 12h

That looks like a cydippid. Odd seeing it on the seafloor. @nautiluslive.org dive L1009 #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 1d

Looks like Aeginura to me
@nautiluslive.org dive L1008 #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Chris Mah @echinoblog.bsky.social · 9h

yes. very Hymenaster like.

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 1d

5063m slime star
@nautiluslive.org dive L1008 #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 2d

This sea cucumber doesn't look too healthy. @nautiluslive.org dive L1008 #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 11h

Swima eating. 4700-4800m I heard them say a worm person says this is new. I have seen swima launch off the seafloor many times, but I have never seen them eating anything. They usually get spooked before the ROV can settle down. @nautiluslive.org dive L1009 #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 5d

Octopus @ 3982m. Casper lives this far down I think? Idk if that's what this one is. @nautiluslive.org #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 1d

The sea scorpion is an isopod. @nautiluslive.org dive L1008 #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 1d

Abyssopathes, isopod, & a fuzzy branching bryozoan or sponge? 5063m
@nautiluslive.org dive L1008 #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 1d

Urchin, sea cucumber, tooth. 5065m @nautiluslive.org dive L1008 #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 13h

Bamboo coral, Psychropotes, sponges. 4815m
@nautiluslive.org dive L1009 #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Reposted by Chris Mah

Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 1d

Crosotta millsae (psychedelic jelly)
@nautiluslive.org dive L1008 #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 1d

Chondrocladia w/ a holuthurian snack. @nautiluslive.org dive L1008 #CookIslands #MarineLife

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Lisa @tuexplorer1.bsky.social · 2d

5060m stalked crinoid & sponges. @nautiluslive.org dive L1008 #CookIslands #MarineLife

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