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Diazona cf. formosa
This is a colony of translucent sea squirts (or ascidians) with six white "petals" around their mouths (called oral siphons). The spiral zooids -- animals that are part of a colonial organism -- can be clearly seen through the nearly transparent test (the skin of the sea squirts).
Depths of 20 to 60m across the Indo-Pacific region.
Spotted this lovely colony of ascidians in about 30m of water, at a dive site called Hammerhead Alley, off the eastern coast of Samal Island, Philippines. Curiously, I've only ever seen this on the eastern coast of the island...
33 Comments (1–25)
My pleasure entirely, YukoChartraw. Thanks!
This series just took my breath away! It's so beautiful - it's out of this world! Thank you for sharing these amazing shots!
Thank you for your kind words, Jellyfishnebula, manuelap1 and luciav1!
WOW congrats you got spotting of the day!
Thanks, Ashish! When we see these wondrous organisms, it reminds us that everything we've made with our hands has already been created by nature!
Congrats Blogie... Great Organism... look like Fiber made...
I was struggling with my last spotting finishing.... so wishing very late...
Thanks, Atul! Really, it gives me so much pleasure to share my spottings on PN. :)
Congrats Blogie and thanks for all the wonderful spottings!!!!
Thanks, Jolly and Marta!
Marta, I'm sure it would be great diving with a fellow Ranger! Do let me know if you find yourself out here. :)
Congratulations Blogie.!!!
Awesome spottings, Blogie! I can´t wait to dive in Philippines! :-)
Congratulations Blogie. You made it again!
Thanks, Leanne! This SOTD has inspired me to try and look for more info about these (and other species of) ascidians.
Incredible Blogie. Congratulations on SOTD & an amazing spot.
Thanks, Sachin and OnengDyah! And thanks very much for those Pablo Neruda verses, Tanya! Quite apt. :)
So pretty..
Congratulations Blogie !!
Enigmas
You've asked me what the lobster is weaving there with
his golden feet?
I reply, the ocean knows this.
You say, what is the ascidia waiting for in its transparent
bell? What is it waiting for?
I tell you it is waiting for time, like you.
You ask me whom the Macrocystis alga hugs in its arms?
Study, study it, at a certain hour, in a certain sea I know.
You question me about the wicked tusk of the narwhal,
and I reply by describing
how the sea unicorn with the harpoon in it dies.
You enquire about the kingfisher's feathers,
which tremble in the pure springs of the southern tides?
Or you've found in the cards a new question touching on
the crystal architecture
of the sea anemone, and you'll deal that to me now?
You want to understand the electric nature of the ocean
spines?
The armored stalactite that breaks as it walks?
The hook of the angler fish, the music stretched out
in the deep places like a thread in the water?
I want to tell you the ocean knows this, that life in its
jewel boxes
is endless as the sand, impossible to count, pure,
and among the blood-colored grapes time has made the
petal
hard and shiny, made the jellyfish full of light
and untied its knot, letting its musical threads fall
from a horn of plenty made of infinite mother-of-pearl.
I am nothing but the empty net which has gone on ahead
of human eyes, dead in those darknesses,
of fingers accustomed to the triangle, longitudes
on the timid globe of an orange.
I walked around as you do, investigating
the endless star,
and in my net, during the night, I woke up naked,
the only thing caught, a fish trapped inside the wind.
Pablo Neruda
@AprilWhite - I have no idea. I haven't seen any reference mentioning that, and I make it a point to not touch marine life as much as possible. At any rate, I don't think it's edible. ;)
Is it poisonous
Yes, it sure is wonderful! I hope we can keep it that way for the next generations. Thanks for all your kind words, guys!
What a wonderful world .. isn't it?
Congratulations Blogie no surprise incredible series as usually :):)
Amazing photo and thanks for sharing Blogie! Congrats for SOTD!
Thanks very much, Yasser! The more we bring the wonders of the sea out into the open via Project Noah, the more people will realize the need to protect our marine environment.