Today, if you have the gumption, we'll continue to investigate the voluptuous horrors of Halgerda sp. nudibranchs.
This is Halgerda okinawa. Some varieties can reach almost five inches in length, which is fairly gargantuan for a nudibranch. (The average nudibranch is about an inch long; many are considerably smaller).
H. okinawa is also unique in that it can bite effortlessly through a sixpenny nail, and has a moderate talent for composing hudibrastic couplets. Its satirical verse is most commonly directed at the subphylum Tunicata in general, and the appendicularians in particular.
Friday, September 30, 2005
Friday Nudibranch Blogging
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5 comments:
Hi Phila,
Nice nudibranch. I send your post around to my family who love these remarkable creatures.
Go have a look at my Friday Beetle Blogging:
http://www.progressiveeruptions.blogspot.com
Lovely! I especially love the tassled tail. Do you suppose that nudi has to comb its tail tassles to keep them from getting tangled up? Also, how does it bite through a sixpenny nail? do these things have (horrors!) .. teeth????
GrrlScientist
I'm kidding about the biting, of course. But they have radulae, and some can eat coral.
That's a scary nudibranch!!
Yeah, I caught one performing a piece at a Poetry Jam a couple weeks ago. Sorta angry, but good use of imagery...
Oh, and a triple-word score goes to Phila for use of the word "hudibrastic" ( http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+hudibrastic&btnG=Google+Search )
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