Return of the Blue Paperclip
Dudes
An species of Larvacean,
first photographed
last year by Steve Gardner.
Identified as Tectillaria sp.
These photos taken July 6, 2001,
in
the canyon at La Jolla Shores.
© 2001 Steve
Gardner
Click here
for close-up images of the body of the larvacean (live)
Click here
for microscope images of the larvacean (dead, without the house)
The outer, flimsy bag (sphere) is called the house.
The inner large white structure is a food concentrating
filter.
The "blue paperclip" part is
the tail of the larvacean;
the body is difficult
to see in these photographs (it's very small).
These houses were 1/2 - 1 inch in diameter.
Technical Note: The areas outside of the discernible
"house" in these photos have been blacked out to eliminate
back scatter.