[syn. Cypraea semiplota]Half-swimmer cowryCypraeidaeEndemic to the Hawaiian IslandsRareFound in waters off Haleiwa, Oahu in mid-1970's.The Hawaiian name in general for cowries is leho. Early Hawaiians used larger leho to lure hee (octopus) to capture. Smaller leho were used in lei work.Please note: I do not collect or trade sea shells any longer. For me, the value of the animal is far greater than the shell it possess.
Today I specifically set out to pay attention to things I often pass over (foolishly) in my quest for slugs. This chiton is one I learned from Ron Wolf's photos. Previously, I would have just called it a Lined Chiton and moved on, but the zigzag stripes on the "head" valve distinguish this one. Anything named after the Norse god of deception deserves recognition.
Membranipora membranacea is a very widely distributed species of marine bryozoan known from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans usually in temperate zone environments. It may be known colloquially as the sea-mat or lacy crust bryozoan and is often abundantly found encrusting seaweeds, particularly kelps.Wikipedia
Collected at Grape St. Pier, San Diego Bay. DNA barcoded by Aaron Subkow, Nikki Moss, and Michael Cullen as part of the High Tech High San Diego Bay Study (www.sdbayguide.com)..