"An observer strolling past the Jack London Square waterfront on a recent Saturday afternoon might have witnessed an unusual sight: A group of people on the dock, some of whom were lying on their bellies with their heads dangling just above the water, scooping up what looks like green and brown gunk. Others huddled over plastic Tupperware containers excitedly passing around hand lenses to peer at wriggling specimens."
"But the nudibranch wasn't all the intrepid dock foulers pulled up. There was also the fearsome peanut worm, which, in lieu of a face, has a collection of Medusa-like tendrils waving around its mouth hole. It could've come out of a sci-fi novel. And then there was a pair of stick-like Japanese skeleton shrimp, which drew a collection of oohs and aahs when they started fighting. And plenty of tunicates, a bugula and other animals not readily identifiable had also"
About 30 people gathered Nov. 8 at Jack London Square waterfront to observe dock fouling, collecting specimens from beneath docks into plastic containers and examining them with hand lenses. Participants scooped green and brown growth from pilings and peered at wriggling marine creatures attached to underwater structures. Observed animals included a white-and-orange nudibranch, a peanut worm with Medusa-like tendrils, stick-like Japanese skeleton shrimp, tunicates, a bugula and other small organisms. The nudibranch exemplified chemical defense by sequestering stinging cells from prey. The event revealed abundant, often-overlooked marine biodiversity thriving in familiar urban waterfront habitats.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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