#0058 Hairy chiton - Chaetopleura papilio

As the name suggests, these large, handsome mollusks have an impressive sprinkling of stubble on their soft fleshy girdle. Often found in crevices and under rocks in low tide pools or on shallow reefs, Hairy chitons are topped with eight shell plates that are near rectangular but rounded to the front with lifted sides. These plates are often brown or maroon with striking light brown or black stripes, sometimes even with blue or white spots. If you’re lucky, you might spot a rare blue-coloured one. Like other chitons, this distinctively stubbly species rasps algae off the rocks using its radula – which is kind of like a muscular tongue.

@saveourseasfoundation #1001seaforestspecies #seachangeproject #taxonomy #1001species

When we think about biodiversity, we might look out of the window and see plants, trees, the ocean, birds, insects. But if we dive deeper, we see how all living things are connected, and every thread supports our very existence.

#seachangeproject #biodiversity #greatafricanseaforest #natureconnection #rememberyouarewild

#0057 Red tide - Noctiluca scintillans

In daylight, these single-celled organisms can appear as bright-red blooms on the surface of the ocean, but at night they go on the razzle. Their cells produce luminous blue flashes when disturbed, resulting in an Avatar-worthy light display. Swish the water with your hand, and it’s pure science fiction (swipe to see the incredible video)! Under the microscope, Red tide are spherical and uni-cellular, with a network of strands radiating from a central nucleus. On one side of the cell is a slight notch bearing a cytosome or ‘mouth’ and an adjacent tentacle used for moving around and capturing food such as bacteria, copepods (equally dazzling!) and diatoms. Contrary to popular belief, this Red tide is not toxic, however the bloom may consume all the oxygen in the water and thus result in the death of marine life.

@saveourseasfoundation #1001seaforestspecies #1001species #greatafricanseaforest #redtide

#0057 Bluefin gurnard - Chelidonichthys kumu

These bottom-dwelling fish could well be called sand butterflies! While the first three rays of the pectoral fins are separated into ‘feelers’ that are used to ‘walk’ along the bottom, the rest of the fin can unfurl into a large, beautifully ‘wing’ that resembles those of a blue butterfly. Bluefin gurnards are usually found on the seafloor, where they use the trio of pectoral ‘feelers’ to snuffle out crustaceans and invertebrates such as small fish and polychaete worms. They’re most active at night and are often found buried in the sand with only the top of the head peeping out (see our Story for a video clip). Like many animals with eye-like markings, Blue gurnards use their brightly coloured pectoral fins to startle predators.

@saveourseasfoundation #1001seaforestspecies #1001speciesproject #greatafricanseaforest #seachangeproject

On this Earth Day, we remember that everything on this beautiful planet is nature — including us. Though we experience the world in different ways, we reflect one another. We are connected by our intrinsic belonging on this planet — the only home we all share.

#earthday #seachangeproject #natureconnection #rememberyouarewild #greatafricanseaforest

#0055 Peacock worm – Sabella pavonina

This worm’s common name needs little explanation – just look at that handsome crown! This filter feeder’s other standout qualities are its habitat and tube size. Like other members of this family, Peacock worms have soft parchment tubes into which they retract at the slightest disturbance. But unlike other feather duster worms, whose tubes usually emerge from rocky crevices, the Peacock worm’s rise directly from the sand. Their tubes are unusually slender and can extend up to 10 cm above the surface, making them elegant ‘pillars’ in the sandy seabed.

@saveourseasfoundation #1001project #1001speciesproject #1001species #seachangeproject

#0054 Pear limpet – Scutellastra cochlear

Pear limpets are experts at living in close quarters – and are even practised in giving piggybacks. With distinctive shell shapes that resemble pears, these limpets often occur in dense populations in the extreme low intertidal zone – sometimes as many as 1700 individuals per square metre.

Juveniles start life on the backs of adults and initially feed on the paint-like pink coralline that lives nearby. They then establish their own gardens – sometimes on the shells of larger individuals. When an adult dies, a juvenile quickly shifts down from a neighbour to occupy the vacant spot, ensuring the population remains consistently dense.

All that piggy-backing often leaves scars on the backs of larger individuals – a small price to pay for retaining prime real estate.

@saveourseasfoundation #1001seaforestspecies #1001species #1001speciesproject #seachangeproject

Did you know that kelp forests are found in many places across the world? These ecosystems are key breeding and nursery grounds for countless species, absorb large amounts of carbon, produce oxygen, protect our coastlines from destructive waves, and play an important role in sustaining coastal communities — both physically and spiritually. Losing them would be as devastating as losing terrestrial forests — all life is nature and all nature is life. 🐙

* Many thanks to @jmadler for contributing her beautiful images.

#kelpforest #natureconnection #jenniferadlerphtography #greatafricanseaforest #seachangeproject

#0053 Serpent-skinned brittle star – Ophioderma wahlbergii

Like something out of a Star Wars movie, these striking brittle stars are considerably better parents than Darth Vader. Female serpent-skinned brittle stars are truly viviparous, which is rare for marine invertebrates. They brood their young in numerous pouches in opening genital slits on the ventral surface. The young in each brood pouch are mostly of the same age but clutches within different brood pouches in the same individual female can hold young of different ages. For us, that would be quite a handful! The brooded young can be large, suggesting they obtain nutrition directly from the mother. Once out in the world, these youngsters will join the rest of the sci-fi crew, which sometimes gather in large numbers, feeding on detrital particles on the sediment surface and sheltering under boulders.

@saveourseasfoundation #1001seaforestspecies #1001speciesproject #taxonomy #brittlestar