They Know Our Weaknesses

A Softer World: Invertebrates tribute! The first of 2011! Mouse-over text would be: they know our weaknesses

--m

Santy Claws!

Such a terrible pun it had to be made. Along with an A Softer World tribute though, so maybe it all balances out. I'm off to read new books I got today! Merry invertebratemas!

--m

Let's Not Forget Time Spent on Facebook and Online Poker

Oh, emopus. You're so emo. These are photos of what I believe is a juvenile Ocotpus rubescens, given the rows of chromatophores on the arms.

Conference is over, and to celebrate being back to rain and fog (perfect weather for emopuses and m rocks everywhere), I present another installment of the A Softer World invertebrate tribute series. Mouseover text would read: "Let's not forget time spent on facebook and online poker."

--m

P.S. Photo credit to me. I have a whole set of videos and photos from this individual, so it will undoubtedly make an appearance again.

Now Get Over Here and Help Me Learn to Tie a Bowtie

I've been watching a lot of Chuck lately, so spies are on the brain. Here's an invertebrate A Softer World tribute, starring a Rossia pacifica and an unknown octopus (either E. dofleini or O. rubescens). Photo credit to me.

--m

If There Is, I'm Screwed

A Softer World invertebrate tribute (the first in a long time). This is a Rossia pacifica, which as far as I'm aware of is not eaten for calamari and is not a true squid at all. This one was collected for research near Friday Harbor, WA. Mouse-over text: "if there is, I'm screwed"

--m

(photo credit to me on this one)

They're Too Cute to Be Trusted

ASW invertebrate tribute! Went night lighting and caught SEVEN juvenile cephalopods (holy cutegasm, Batman!) so it was an awesome night, but I got started on the comic late.

Photos of an octopus juvenile (O. rubescens or E. dofleini) I cared for last year up here, but I hope to get some pics of our new guys soon.

Mouseover text: "They're too cute to be trusted." And no, I don't know what Phase 2 is, but I have a feeling it's sneaky.

--m

Logical Consequences Strike Again

These are harlequin shrimp (family: Gnathophyllidae, I think these guys are from the Pacific) and they are nomming on a sea star leg at the Shedd.

Vacation is going well, ends on Tuesday (back to comics, yay!).

In the meantime, an ASW tribute for you!  Mouse-over text: logical consequences strike again

--m

Tonight We Dine on Barnacles (in Hell)

Mouse-over text: "Tonight we dine on barnacles (in hell)." A Softer World invertebrate tribute again.  They're just so much fun to do.

From Sucia Island, WA. These little snails could totally form an army. You can never trust those mollusks. Sneaky phylum, that one.

I can't remember the genus or species on the snail, but I believe the barnacles are Balanus glandula.

Photo credit: M. Rock

But The Cuddles Are Kind of Nice (An Homage)

A tribute to A Softer World by Emily Horne and Joey Comeau. This comic makes the emo side of me (which is all of me) so happy/morose. Which is the emo side of me's favorite way to be.

The mouse-over text on this one would be: "But the cuddles are kind of nice." (All of the comic titles are the mouse-over text, I believe.)

--m

P.S. photos are credit of me--the crab is a Hemigrapsus sp. taken in Friday Harbor, WA.