Thanks to @cspirrone and @zahnerphoto for letting us use their photos for our icon and banner photos, respectively!

Our icon photo is a wrinkled rock borer (Hiatella arctica). This is a cosmopolitan species that may have been spread through anthropogenic means. It lives in crevices of rock, kelp, and other substrates from the intertidal zone to depths exceeding 1000 m. It is easily identified by its scarlet-tipped siphons. A recent genetic study suggested that this "species" is actually a species complex of at least 13 different species!

Our banner photo is a small giant clam (Tridacna maxima). It is an inhabitant of the Indo-Pacific region, living in coral reefs and sand. The mantle is often brilliantly colored and houses symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae. These algae produce much of the energy the clam needs. This species is popular in the aquarium trade due to its smaller size and bright colors.

Posted on May 31, 2020 08:42 PM by thomaseverest