ID Help, GOT PICTURE

[jnarowe]

Below is a series of 3 photos taken by Eric from The Shark Reef. I just don't have the capability to photograph something this small so a big thanks to Eric!!

This "thing" was found in my system on a colony of declining zoanthids and has been living in this test vial for more than two months. I have NOT opened it for any reason.

A couple of interesting notes:

1. The water was clean when I initially isolated this invert and now appears to have some tissue and what look a lot like feces (black dots). I believe this because they are not uniform enough IMO to be eggs.

2. It has moved a bit since being placed in the test vial, but I have never seen it move.

So my question is, what the heck is it??

 

[loohunter]

that is crazy looking. the foot that is attaching it to the glass is like a snail and that funky siphon looking at the top that is so crazy im tagging along

 

[soyadrink]

wow, looks creepy! how big is it?

 

[jnarowe]

and what kind of devil thing can live in a test tube for more than two months??

Follow this link on Sea Slugs and all the way at the bottom is a similar "animal". Striking similarity, and to be honest, it may have been palys that this thing was on.

Here's a pic:

 

[jnarowe]

wow, looks creepy! how big is it?

Maybe 5 - 7mm. It is extremely small and that's why I had to take it to Eric for the photos.

 

[loohunter]

cool link and those are some wonderful zoa's

 

[jnarowe]

They WERE wonderful zoas.

 

[loohunter]

were? ouch iam sorry to here that

 

[jnarowe]

me too! And I sure hope this was the only one of whatever it is in my system.

 

[edwing206]

I've NEVER seen something like that. Sure is crazy looking. Is he squishy(looks like it) or hard?

 

[soyadrink]

Hey! I still have the palys you gave me a while ago if you want them back. I'm pretty sure they are the same ones

 

[Boomer]

It reminds me of a Leucettid, sponge like Pericharax sp. Some sponges do have bases and can actually crawl very, very slowly.

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Pericharax&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

Your other pics on the Sealsug forum looks like a Tethyid sponge, Tethya sp

 

[Dr. Dee]

That's a good picture,Well several sea slugs have evolved.
It looks like a Phylum Phoronida.

 

[jnarowe]

Thanks Nelson. I may have to take you up on that.

Thanks for the input guys. I have not thought of it as being a sponge. That could perhaps explain why it is still alive?

 

[Boomer]

Dr

Where did this come from ? Did I miss something ?

That's a good picture,Well several sea slugs have evolved.
It looks like a Phylum Phoronida.

As it makes no sense to me. Phoronida, Horeshoe Worms, are a Lophohorate related to Bryozoans. Kind'a or often mis-ID as small duster worms.

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=horseshoe worms&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

 

[NaH2O]

Boomer, any idea what the debris might be in the bottom of the tube, if it is a sponge?

 

[jnarowe]

To my eye, there are two distinct things as part of the debris:

1. tissue. this greatly resembles the tissue that a foxface sheds (slime) into the water column.

2. feces. That's the best idea I have on that as the black specs are not uniform enough to be eggs IMO and I have no other explanation.

 

[Boomer]

No, and that is what bothers me. Sponges do not do-doo like that. I also have never seen such a big "foot" on a sponge like that. If you do some checking on that sponge I posted you will not see a "foot" like that. I'm still looking and think we may need to PM LeslieH


I've never seen anything that looks like that other than that sponge I posted. And there are not crap loads of sponges like that (species) and none I have found have such a short "siphon" like that, unless maybe a "juv." I would be nice if that pic was more detailed.

 

[jnarowe]

Honestly, the pics are EXACTLY how it looks. There are no other features, markings, surface variations etc. The good news it that it can apparently live for an extended period in this manner, so maybe we will find the right person to send it to.

 

[Boomer]

But you said..

***The water was clean when I initially isolated this invert and now appears to have some tissue*** and what look a lot like feces (black dots). I believe this because they are not uniform enough IMO to be eggs.

To me meaning the water and vial was clean and clear and this stuff just appeared.

Sponges to shead "eggs" called Gemmules but look nothing like that. At least none that I have seen do.

But the pics are still blurry