Sofia Castello y Tickell, from Casey Dunn's Invertebrate Zoology (Biol 0410) course at Brown University, introduces Glaucus atlanticus.
The music is Chopin waltz, performed by Jeremiah Jones - http://www.lisztonian.com/titles/Waltz+in+Aflat+Major+Op+69+No+1-83.html.
Visit http://creaturecast.org for more stories about the unexpected world of Biology.
Audio was recorded at the Granoff Center for the Creative Arts (http://brown.edu/academics/creative-arts-council/granoff).
[taxonomy:binomial=Glaucus atlanticus]
Summary[edit] Description: English: Glaucus atlanticus : part of the margin of the processus masticatorius ; behind ; camera lucidaFrançais : Glaucus atlanticus : partie de la marge du processus masticatorius (radula) ; derrière ; camera lucida. Date: 1883. Source: Plate exctracted from [http://www.19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/Zool-26/text/p014.jpg Report on the Nudibranchiata collected by H.M.S. Challenger during the Years 1873-1876] (description), in Report on the scientific results of the voyage of H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873-76. Author: Rudolph Bergh.
Description: Glaucus atlanticus Order: NUDIBRANCHIA Suborder: AEOLIDINA Family: Glaucidae I found this nudibranch washed up on Surfers Paradise Beach in Queensland, Australia. It was about 35 mm in length. Glaucus atlanticus are often washed up on beaches along with Physalia Jellyfish (a.k.a Portuguese Man Of War or Bluebottle Jellyfish). The reason for this is that Glaucus feed on Physalia and are also at the mercy of the ocean currents and winds. Glaucus feed almost exclusively on Physalia, and it appears that they are able to select the MOST venomous of Physalia's stinging cells (nematocysts) for their own use. They store the nematocysts in special sacs (cnidosacs) at the tip of their cerata. (Cerata are the fan-like appendages.) So, NEVER touch these guys!!. Date: 7 January 2007, 10:58. Source: Nudibranch. Author: Taro Taylor from Sydney, Australia.