hitchiker id

[Craig]

I cannot get a shot of this one. It looks like a tiny potato with a snokel sticking out of the top. I went thru the hitchiker links and couldnt find a match. Any suggestions?

 

[Deanos]

Where did you find it? How big is it? Lights on/off?

 

[e.muehlbauer]

It could be a tunicate ("sea squirt")....totally harmless..how large is it? If its really small, smaller than a cm, it could be a scyphozoan (?) sponge.....also harmless. Take care, Eric

 

[Craig]

There are a couple. I've noticed them for a few days now and have not seen them move at all. They are on pieces of rock nowhere near any corals. I see them with and without the lights. They are less than a quarter of an inch each.

Not sure if this is significant, but on all of the rocks where i've found them they are on the highest point of the rocks.

 

[Deanos]

It could be a tunicate ("sea squirt")....totally harmless..

 

[Craig]

best attempt at a pic

 

[Deanos]

Ah...vermetid snail.

 

[LeslieS]

looks like the rare "potato coral". You should try to sell it on e-bay.

 

[lfsmarineguy]

it's a snork hiding behind a rock, and here I thought they were just an entertaining cartoon. Deanos is right though. They just use a mucus net to catch food may annoy corals that are close to it but that is all.

 

[EmilyT]

ooooh i love sea squirts though! did you know that their larvae are actually vertebrates? theyre pretty cool!:bigeyes:

 

[Craig]

i love any excuse for a great 80's cartoon reference :lol2:

thanks all. glad to know these are relatively harmless

 

[leoskee]

I second vermitid snail.