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squidpastry.bsky.social
Squidpastry
@squidpastry.bsky.social
100 followers 85 following 57 posts
Florida-dwelling sometimes-artist, kinda-photographer. Nefarious, notorious sunfish devotee. My heart belongs to the sea.

Ichthyologist soon-to-be, hopefully.

Activity not guaranteed. We'll see what the tide brings in, aye?
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jacsciart.bsky.social
My finished Lookdown illustration for today's #SundayFishSketch 🐡
An illustration of a school of Lookdowns swimming in shallow water. The fish are swimming to the right side of the image, and the water is a turquoise color. The bottom is sandy, and the light shining through the waves refracts chaotically on the sand. Behind the Lookdowns is a school of small, nondescript fish swimming near the bottom.
March 23, 2025 at 5:08 PM
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inaturalist.bsky.social
Our Observation of the Day is this bright red squid (potentially in the genus Onychoteuthis), seen in Spain by marcm13!

More details at: www.inaturalist.org/observations...
A bright red squid with a black eye floats in vibrant blue water.
March 23, 2025 at 7:37 PM
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crevicedwelling.bsky.social
sometimes the stupid video memories my phone makes for me are actually brilliant
March 23, 2025 at 1:48 AM
squidpastry.bsky.social
#fishmas day 17 + 18!

Dwarf seahorses are truly tiny, with adults only reaching a meagre 2 inches.

Meanwhile, lined seahorses are monsters in comparison. Occasionally reaching a mighty 7in, they will consume anything small enough to fit into their mouths- this includes small fish.
#25DaysofFishmas
Close-up photograph of a dwarf seahorse laid out between two of my fingers, submerged underwater. It has a slender body with a tail that takes up half of the body's length, tapering to a point. It's head is shaped much like any other seahorse, except with a knob-like bump on the head and a very short snout. It's eye is large- save for the pupil, it is mottled in the same shades of brown and green as the rest of the body. The lattice-like bony rings that give the seahorse it's rigid form are visible beneath the skin. The seahorse's color is a mottled brown with green accents, as well as small pale spots. A photograph of an adult male lined seahorse laid out on my hand, submerged in water. Unlike the dwarf seahorse, it is far larger, with it's head resting nicely on my thumb and the body spanning the length of my palm, tail curled around the base of my pinkie. This seahorse lacks the knob-like bump atop the head and has a much longer snout typical of most other seahorses. The belly is large and round, and the seahorse is a brown and orange-copper color with many dark brown streaks and lines. The tail, however, is a much darker brown. The back, tail, and head possess tiny stippled white spots. The bony rings are visible just underneath the skin, and form rows of hard spikes down either side of the seahorse as well as two rows along it's back and tail.
December 19, 2024 at 1:23 AM
squidpastry.bsky.social
#crustmas day 18 (and 17) - double feature!

Pink shrimp can attain respectable sizes, with large individuals measuring up to about 10 inches long. Speaking from experience, they grow fast!

The flat bodies of green porcelain crabs allow them to hide in very narrow spaces. They're quite secretive.
Photograph of a pink shrimp in my hand, submerged underwater. It's a straight-bodied, rather robust shrimp with a pinkish red hue and a slightly translucent body. It has little in the way of distinct markings, except for a pale rim on the back edges of each uropod. The antennae are very long, longer than the body's length, and extend out of frame. The shrimp's eyes gleam yellow and red tones as they react to the camera's flash. Another pink shrimp in my hand, this time lifted from the water. The shrimp's shell is a slight orangeish pink and translucent. Extremely faint stippled stripes are present on it's smooth, reflective shell. Close-up photograph of a green porcelain crab on the surface of a orangeish-brown sponge. The crab, actually a species of squat lobster, has a flattened, round body, which are dwarfed by it's extremely large, broad claws spread outwards from the body. The claws are flattened but not blunt, terminating in sharp tips. The outer margins of the claws have a somewhat thick layer of short fuzz, as does the outer rim of the crab's carapace. It's walking legs are rather stout, and flattened as the rest of the body is. The crab's carapace is covered in fine ridges and bumps, and it's color is a mottled green. The legs have a sparse coating of fine hairs. Head-on view of a green porcelain crab in a photo tank. It's legs raise it from the ground, and the crab has it's claws raised, assuming what can be interpreted as a defensive stance- though this is likely coincidence. The crab peers out from one of it's flat claws with one eye. The underside of the claws and body are varying shades of red and dirty orange.
December 19, 2024 at 1:15 AM
squidpastry.bsky.social
For day 16 of #fishmas, another sunfish- a warmouth (Lepomis gulosus).

It is a tough species, capable of surviving temperature extremes and oxygen-depleted water. As long as there is enough small prey (it is not choosy) and enough plants to hide in, it is happy.
#25DaysofFishmas
Close-up photograph of a warmouth in a photo tank, with the lake it resides in visible in the background. It is a swampy-looking fish, with a green base coloration with brown-maroon stripes and blotches running down it's sides. The fins, minus the pectoral and caudal fins, are clad in spikes and held out from the body. The eye is purplish, and the scales of the flanks reflect a reddish purple tinge. On the side of it's head, several brown spots travel from it's eye and stretch to the outer edge of the operculum.
December 17, 2024 at 12:29 AM
squidpastry.bsky.social
Ancinus depressus, the flat pillbug, for day 16 of #crustmas!

This is a wonderfully rectangular, flat isopod that likes the sandy, shelly substrates of nearshore marine habitats, particularly beaches.

When threatened, it rolls into a ball. It's flat, broad shape means it can only try it's best.
Close-up photograph of Ancinus depressus, a white, rectangular-shaped, flattened isopod in the palm of my hand. It's eyes are tiny, and on either side of it's head at the front of it's body. It's telson is triangular and large, taking up a considerable portion of the animal's length (about a quarter). It's shell is pale, white and subtly mottled greyish tones. Close-up photograph of Ancinus depressus, a white, rectangular-shaped, flattened isopod in the palm of my hand. It is now attempting to roll into a ball, but due to it's shape, it can only manage a wide, oblong form. It's telson, being so large, juts out prominently from underneath it's head.
December 17, 2024 at 12:24 AM
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moxostoma.bsky.social
Little-known fact: Shortnose Gar can fly! See moxostoma.com/garfrenzy/ for more photos and the whole story. #gar #garweek
December 16, 2024 at 7:59 PM
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moistmacro.bsky.social
It’s still #Fishmas and so today we have Enchelycore pardalis - the Dragon Moray from the southern coastal waters of Oman. This was the one and only time that I ever saw one of these and don’t they look friendly.
#MarineLife #UnderwaterPhotography #TeamFish
A photograph of the head of a moray eel - its background colour is white but it is covered in black/brown stripes and patterning that help break up its outline for camouflage. Its mouth is slightly agape showing off its sharp and numerous teeth.
December 16, 2024 at 12:42 PM
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k-hermit.com
December 16, 2024 at 12:03 PM
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viep5.bsky.social
Lamprohaminoea evelinae Oskars & Malaquias, 2020

Location: Bali, Indonesia 🇮🇩

#MolluscMonday #MolluskMonday #seaslug
December 3, 2024 at 3:41 AM
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ianbeavis.bsky.social
Some artwork for #Crustmas from one of my favourites - Alister Hardy's 'The Open Sea - The World of Plankton' in the New Naturalist series, published in 1956
December 12, 2024 at 8:09 PM
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ianbeavis.bsky.social
Some deep water planktonic crustaceans from Alister Hardy's 'The Open Sea - The World of Plankton' (1956) #Crustmas
December 12, 2024 at 8:11 PM
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arthistoryanimalia.bsky.social
#Crustmas 🦞:
Ohno Bakufu (大野麦風, Japan, 1888–1976)
Spiny #Lobster イセエビ, 1950-60s
Watercolor, hand painted on shikishi art board, 25 x 27cm
www.ohmigallery.com/DB/ItemDetai...
#JapaneseArt
watercolor illustration of a colorful Japanese lobster against plain off-white background, positioned diagonally in frame with head towards upper left and tail towards lower right, with artist signature and stamp visible on lower right side
December 16, 2024 at 1:01 AM
squidpastry.bsky.social
The formidable barbfish, Scorpaena brasiliensis, is the star of day 15 of #fishmas.

The venom sequestered within each fin spine is potent, and causes a laundry list of nasty symptoms, not to mention severe pain. The 'cool' factor is undeniable.
#25DaysofFishmas
Photograph of a barbfish inside of a photo tank. It's resting on the bottom, propped upright with it's huge, fan-like pectoral fins, which are a bright, vivid red. Just above the eyes are large, branching skin extensions, which resemble antlers. The overall color of the fish is a dark brown-red dorsally, grading into a red and then into a cream color near the belly and underside of the head. The fish is covered in leaf-like flaps of skin, which give it a soft appearance. The head is craggy and rough. The dorsal fin is raised slightly, with each spine white-tipped. The fish resembles a stone overgrown with algae, somewhat. Close-up photo of the same barbfish, now head-on. The mouth is curved downwards and gives the impression of a scowl. All of the flaps of skin on the head are clearly visible, giving the appearance of a patchy mane. The elongate skin extensions above the eyes are in full view, and resemble antlers or massive, bushy eyebrows. The underside of the lower jaw is patchy and heavily mottled cream and brown.
December 16, 2024 at 3:04 AM
squidpastry.bsky.social
A hairy hermit crab, Paguristes karenae, for day 15 of #crustmas! True to it's name, this species is covered in a thick coat of luxurious brown fur.

Additionally, this species was described recently, only two years ago. I think they're really, really cute...
Close-up photograph of a hairy hermit crab in a horse conch shell. The shell is an orange-red color, and the hermit crab erupts from the shell's aperture, completely covered in a thick, shaggy coat of light brown fur. The shell underneath the fuzz is an orange color, and the tips of the walking legs are black. The claws are broad and flat, and also covered in fur. The claws tips are black. The crab's eyestalks are long, colored white with a black ring-like marking in the middle of each. The crab's complicated mouthparts are black and white striped.
December 16, 2024 at 3:03 AM
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mikesidkelly.bsky.social
A hermit crab of some kind in a #Humboldt tide pool for this 14th day of #Crustmas. (The shell is from a wentletrap snail.) 🦀🤿
A small hermit crab climbing around in some pink coralline algae. Its claws and legs are light yellow, while its antennae, mouthparts, and eye stalks are red. The shell it's in is white and forms a high spire with nine whorls which terminate in a little button-like point. The crab is in the lower right central part of the image, and the shell extends almost to the upper left corner. Each whorl has many transverse prominent ridges including on the largest whorl right above the crabs face. The crab is peaking out from under this ridge, and its eyes appear to be reflecting light from the camera's flash. The algae has a central stalk made of segments, and each segment holds two lateral branches that extend outwards at a 45-degree angle. The algae is pinkish, and each branch has a white tip. There are also many small dark brown objects clinging to the algae, which may be diatoms.
December 14, 2024 at 7:52 PM
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mikesidkelly.bsky.social
A rockhead poacher in a #Humboldt tide pool at night for this 14th day of #Fishmas. 🐟🤿🌙
A mostly bright orange fish resting on the bottom on top of some gray rocks that are almost as big as the fish. The surrounding rocks are encrusted with pink algae and there are a few blades of dark green surf grass crisscrossing the picture. The fish is seen from above, but at an angle so that only one eye is visible. It is facing to the right. The fish has a relatively large head with two prominent bumps where horns on a goat would be. It has many other bumps around its cheek area, and an indentation on top of its robust head between the two larger bumps. It's no surprise that this fish is called a "rockhead" poacher. Its body tapers abruptly from its head. The body appears to be squarish in cross-section and has a series of many bony-looking plates that form ridges along the side and top of the body. There are also three black bands on the body, but they are incomplete and kind of blotchy. The fan-like pectoral fins appear to be shiny and black and seem to be reflecting some of the orange from the fish. The two small dorsal fins are also dark. The eye is black and yellow with the colors arranged in a sort-of kaleidoscope pattern. The head tapers to a blunt point and the eye is very near the end. The mouth is not visible, but it must be small. Overall, it is a very strange looking fish.
December 14, 2024 at 7:26 PM
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k-hermit.com
Spanish dancer
December 15, 2024 at 12:44 PM
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moistmacro.bsky.social
Day 15 of #25DaysofCrustmas and we have Rhynchocinetes durbanensis - called the Durban Dancing Shrimp.
A photo from above of a transparent shrimp with red and white lines across the body. It has emerald green eyes and is sat on an orange encrusting bryozoan.
December 15, 2024 at 2:31 PM
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tuexplorer1.bsky.social
Super awesome to finally see a video of this Dolichopteryx longipes! I'm a fan of any barreleye.
defy-6p70.bsky.social セーフガード @defy-6p70.bsky.social · Dec 11
OCEANA Euorpe - Canary Islands Expedition 2014
December 11, 2024 at 11:24 AM
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defy-6p70.bsky.social
OCEANA Euorpe - Canary Islands Expedition 2014
December 11, 2024 at 11:02 AM
squidpastry.bsky.social
And for day 14 of #fishmas, spotted sunfish (not the Mola kind...)

The spotted sunfish is an endemic to the southeastern United States, primarily Florida. These individuals live inside of a flooded sinkhole, where they are one of the only few species of fish present.
#25DaysofFishmas
Underwater photograph of a spotted sunfish, taken form behind. The fish is looking downwards, as it eclipses two others. It swims in blue, clear water. The brown color with white-rimmed fins, black 'ear' patches, and innumerable black spots in rows down the body are hallmarks of this species, and shown to great effect in this photo. Underwater photograph of a spotted sunfish. Sunlight dapples down from above, casting small rainbow shimmers on it's surface. The floor of the flooded sinkhole in which it lives is visible in the background. Another characteristic of the spotted sunfish is it's vibrant blue 'eyeliner', visible as a stripe underneath the eye of the fish. Underwater photograph of a pair of spotted sunfish, taken from above. Their lower jaws jut out slightly, and from this angle it appears that they have a furrowed brow, though this is only the shape of their head. Underwater photograph of an inquisitive spotted sunfish peering closely into the camera in the darkness, below the roof of the sinkhole where it leads into a cave system. The fish is encroaching far into the focal range, so it's face is blurry. It's eyes are blue and reflective.
December 15, 2024 at 3:09 AM
squidpastry.bsky.social
It's the 14th day of #crustmas! Today, a seasonally appropriate peppermint shrimp (Lysmata boggessi).

This species lives in seagrass beds, oyster reefs, and in sponges unlike many species in the genus. Their vivid color and way of moving, swaying back and forth, make them popular in aquariums.
Close-up photograph of a peppermint shrimp, Lysmata boggessi, riding on my finger. The shrimp's body is a vivid shade of red and it's body is translucent. The red color pigment is arranged in thin stripes, with unpigmented spaces allowing one to see light passing through the body of the shrimp. It's eyes are black, with a dark stripe on the top surface of each eyestalk. The tail fins (uropods) are a deep crimson color. The shrimp is quite small, only about an inch long. Yellowish-green branching algae is visible in the background. Close-up photograph of a huge female peppermint shrimp (Lysmata boggessi) in my hand. For her species she is massive, approximately two inches long. Her entire body is a bright red, with the unpigmented stripes characteristic for the species hardly visible. She is robust, with a thick abdomen and cephalothorax. Her uropods are a darker red color than the first. She is the largest and most vibrantly colored peppermint shrimp I have ever seen.
December 15, 2024 at 2:54 AM
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dadrummond.art
Semibalanus balanoides in steel, bronze, and silver for #Crustmas
My sculpture of the common rock barnacle Semibalanus balanoides viewed from the top with my hand for scale. The barnacle is feeding, with its legs fully deployed in a wide fan emerging from the folds of its soft tissues. The shell is rough bronze-infiltrated steel, warm in color; you can see some details of how the plates of the shell interlock.
December 14, 2024 at 5:05 PM