Tuesday, January 3, 2012

2012 is THE Year of the Echinoderm-starting with Sea Biscuit and Sand Dollar Videos! GO!

HAPPY New Year!
First, I wanted to welcome everyone back to the Echinoblog 2012 Edition! Where we kick of the New Year with New Echino-Electricity!

2012 IS the Year of the Echinoderm? 2+1+2=5!!! All living echinoderms (and many fossil ones) have pentaradial symmetry! Five is a special number and so, based on this numerological hocus pocus I dub 2012 THE YEAR of the ECHINODERM!

Let's star the New Year out with some awesome VIDEOS! Let's go!

1. We start this year with a QUESTION! What's the little pudgy, little critter on this sand dollar? curious. (Seriously-I'm not entirely sure what this is-looks like a mollusk..)


2. Here's a neat outreach video about hybrids between different species of the sea biscuit Clypeaster rosaceus (a sea urchin that moves through sand) from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute!


3. Here's some Tropical Japanese Clypeaster japonicus gamete lovin'!


4. And here is even more fun with Japanese sand dollar/sea biscuit reproductive fun!


5. And finally-where would the Echinoblog be without weird Japanese superheroes POWERED by SAND DOLLARS (with Sand dollar mask!) ????? GO SUKASHI !!!!


You can see more of Go Sukashi's exploits at his website here!

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